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Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe

Crispy fried chicken is all about the perfect balance between juicy meat and a crunchy, golden crust. Whether enjoyed hot from the fryer or cold the next day, crispy fried chicken is a timeless comfort food that never disappoints.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Brine time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: buttermilk, chicken, crispy, crispy fried chicken, fried, fried chicken, fried chicken recipe, ranch

Ingredients

Chicken brine

  • 4-6 chicken thighs
  • 4 L water
  • ½ cup vinegar
  • ¼ cup salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp peppercorns
  • 3 bayleaves

Seasoning flour

  • ¾ cup flour
  • ¾ cup corn starch
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • ½ tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper

Wet batter

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp seasoning flour

Spicy buttermilk ranch

  • ¼ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup sour cream or greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp onion powder
  • 1 handful chopped dill
  • 1 handful chopped chives
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 chopped red chilli
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • salt & peper to taste

Instructions

Chicken Brine

  • Mix together water, salt, sugar, vinegar, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
    4 L water, ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp peppercorns, 3 bayleaves
  • Add chicken into the brining liquid and let it sit overnight in the fridge. If you don't have time, you may skip this step.
    4-6 chicken thighs

Dredging

  • Into one bowl mix together seasoning flour ingredients.
    ¾ cup flour, ¾ cup corn starch, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, ½ tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp black pepper
  • Into a separate bowl mix together buttermilk along with 2 tbsp of the seasoning flour. This is our wet batter.
    2 cups buttermilk, 2 tbsp seasoning flour
  • Pat dry our chicken from the brine and place into the seasoning flour.
  • Transfer our chicken into the wet batter afterwards.
  • Then finally back into the seasoning flour, making sure to press firmly to coat the chicken well.
  • Set over parchment paper while we heat up the oil. This allows the flour to hydrate slightly to prevent it from falling off.

Frying

  • Heat up a pot of oil to 350F.
  • Fry for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Making sure to not overcrowd. You only want to fry 2 at a time.
  • Place over a wire rack to cool while you make the ranch.

Spicy ranch

  • Mix together all spicy buttermilk ranch ingredients.
    ¼ cup mayo, ¼ cup sour cream or greek yogurt, ⅓ cup buttermilk, ½ tbsp garlic powder, ½ tbsp onion powder, 1 handful chopped dill, 1 handful chopped chives, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 chopped red chilli, 1 tbsp hot sauce, salt & peper to taste