Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Add chicken pieces and coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Prepare the flour coating: In a shallow dish, place flour and a pinch of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well.
Dredge the chicken: Remove chicken from buttermilk and coat each piece evenly in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess.
Heat oil: In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil to 350°F (175°C) — enough to cover at least half of the chicken.
Fry the chicken: Carefully add chicken pieces (do not overcrowd). Fry 12–15 minutes per side, or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Remove and drain on paper towels. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
💡 Tips
For extra crunch, double dredge: dip chicken back in buttermilk and flour before frying.
Keep fried chicken warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while frying remaining pieces.
Serve with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or honey butter biscuits for the ultimate comfort meal.
If you want, I can also give you a super crispy, restaurant-style fried chicken recipe with a secret seasoning mix that makes it irresistibly crunchy and flavorful. Do you want me to share that version?
