Pioneer Woman's Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cookbook: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl by Ree DrummondThere are a few secrets that I learned from Ree. The first is the buttermilk bath overnight (no, not you, the chicken). Second, mixing the flour with a bit of the buttermilk makes the breading a little shaggy, which is perfect for maximum crispiness volume. Lastly, baking the chicken after frying ensures that the chicken is cooked through without burning the skin.Serves 6-8 hungry ranch hands (halve recipe if you you're feedin' normal city folk)
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 2 cut-up fryer chickens
- 1 quart plus 1/4 cup buttermilk, divided
- 5 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup milk
- canola or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl (or 2 freezer bags) add the chicken with only 1 quart of the buttermilk. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to fry, remove chicken from bowl and let sit on counter for 30 minutes to take chill off.
- 2
Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together the flour, seasoned salt, pepper, thyme, paprika and cayenne in a very large bowl. In a small bowl combine the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk and the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and use a fork to mix until little lumps throughout.
- 3
Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat to 365F. Working in batches, thoroughly coat each buttermilk-soaked chicken piece with the breading, pressing to adhere the breading. Add the chicken to the oil 3-4 pieces at a time. Cover pan and fry 5-7 minutes, checking to make sure chicken isn't getting too brown. Turn, cover and cook additional 3-5 minutes more. Monitor temperature of oil to make sure chicken doesn't burn. Keep in mind chicken will finish cooking in oven.
- 4
Place chicken on baking sheet and continue frying rest of chicken. When done, bake the chicken for 20 minutes, until chicken cooked through.