Crispy Fried Chicken Pieces (Printable)

Golden, crispy chicken pieces with a juicy interior seasoned with paprika and black pepper.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 pieces chicken (drumsticks, thighs, or assorted, skin-on), approximately 2.6 lbs

→ Marinade

02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 2 teaspoons salt
04 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Coating

07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder
09 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Frying

14 - 4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Add chicken pieces, coat thoroughly, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
02 - In a separate large bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly distributed.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each piece in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing to adhere.
04 - Place coated chicken on a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes to ensure coating sticks well.
05 - Preheat oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 350°F (175°C).
06 - Fry chicken pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding, turning occasionally, for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
07 - Remove fried chicken and drain on wire rack or paper towels. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttermilk marinade keeps the inside so tender it almost melts on your tongue.
  • That double-seasoned flour coating creates a shell so crispy it shatters when you bite through it.
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but you made it yourself, which somehow makes it taste even better.
02 -
  • Temperature control is everything—oil that's too cool gives you greasy chicken with a thick crust; too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks.
  • The double-dip trick (coat, dip in buttermilk again, coat again) sounds fussy but delivers seriously crispy results that make people think you're a pro.
  • Resting the coated chicken before frying and the fried chicken after frying are both essential; they're not optional steps that sound nice.
03 -
  • If your coating seems to be browning too fast, lower the oil temperature by a few degrees; if it's taking longer than 15 minutes, raise it slightly.
  • Reusing oil multiple times actually improves the flavor if you strain out the bits and keep it stored properly between uses.
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