Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
There is something about fried chicken that is just wholesome. It is a simple go-to meal that can be paired with fries, mashed potato, beans, corn on the cob, or anything you like. Want sauce on it? Sure you can, chicken gravy, BBQ, Ranch, anything you like. It's your chicken after all.
But now we're going to make it, but we're going to do it properly. First up though is getting the right cuts of chicken: wings (either whole or split), thighs, drumsticks, or breast, the choice is up to you. However, bigger pieces mean longer frying times (obviously), and may require you to lower the heat slightly.
But, we are going to start an hour or two before we umm ... start.
Your local grocery store probably sells buttermilk so you'll need to get that when you pick up the chicken, however, you can make it yourself.
What you need:
Whole milk
Plain natural yoghurt
Lemon juice
The more chicken you have, the more buttermilk you are going to need. Grab a big bowl and put the yoghurt in it, now add a little milk to thin it out a bit (a consistency of halfway between the yogurt and the milk), now squeeze in at least half a lemon (more if you're making lots). Now stir everything together.
Remove any blood and excess fat from the chicken pieces, throw them into the buttermilk, and put the whole thing in the fridge for a minimum of an hour (two, three, or longer is better).
Now we move on to the coating:
600g of plain flour
One tablespoon of oregano
(If you would like a kick to it, include two tablespoons of Cayenne, Cajun spice, or similar)
Combine all of that.
Remove the chicken, and remove excess buttermilk, and place each piece into the dry mix. You may wish to double dunk, so if you do have a container with a couple of beaten eggs and some milk combined ready. Dip and then dip into the dry mix again.
You're making a mess, aren't you?
Whatever you're using for frying you want the temperature around 140c/290f. Don't forget if you've got big pieces drop the temp a little. Carefully drop one piece into the oil. After around 10 minutes it will be done (wings will likely be done sooner), pull it out. Is it golden? Is it cooked? Good. Now add a few pieces this time, but don't overfill it.
Place the cooked chicken on some kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil. The fried chicken can sit in a warm oven whilst you prepare whatever else you are serving it with. Don't forget about the mess you made!
