Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe

By Becky Hardin

Updated Jun 25, 2026

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I guarantee this Buttermilk Fried Chicken is the best fried chicken recipe you will ever sink your teeth into. For this recipe, I let the chicken soak in a super flavorful brine for 8 hours, then dredge it in buttermilk and breading, and deep-fry it until it’s golden and crispy. What I end up with is juicy, tender meat with a beautiful, crispy coating ideal for a nice Sunday night family dinner.

The Best Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I have to say this recipe is one of the best fried chicken recipes I’ve ever made. It does take some time, but it’s worth it! Though soaking the chicken in the brine is optional, I love adding this step as it makes the chicken extra moist and juicy, and extremely flavorful.

I usually plan to make this fried chicken over the weekend so I can brine it and let it soak for 8 hours. Once it’s done soaking, it’s dipped in seasoning, then buttermilk, then seasoning again, and fried in oil until crispy and golden.

Perfect for a Sunday night family dinner, get-togethers, or even the ideal potluck dish, this recipe never fails to satisfy.

Tips for Beginners

• Plan ahead. The chicken needs to soak in the seasoned brine for at least 8 hours, so be sure to factor that into your schedule. I like to prep it the night before or first thing in the morning so it’s ready to fry by dinnertime.
• Don’t over-brine the chicken. While the brine is the key to juicy, flavorful fried chicken, leaving the chicken in it for too long can have the opposite effect. Try not to let it sit for more than 8 hours, as the meat can absorb too much salt and become overly salty or develop a slightly mushy texture.
• No buttermilk? No problem! You can make your own at home by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk. Let the mixture sit for 5–10 minutes until it begins to thicken and curdle slightly.
• Use a high-heat frying oil. Choose an oil with a high smoke point so it can withstand the frying temperature without burning or developing off flavors. Peanut oil is my favorite because it fries the chicken beautifully, creating an extra crispy, golden crust while maintaining a clean flavor.

Recipe Card

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe

Difficulty: Easy

4.49 from 43 votes

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Brining: 8 hours hrs

Total: 9 hours hrs

Servings: 8

Author: Becky Hardin

Print Rate Pin

Buttermilk Fried Chicken is the best fried chicken recipe you will ever sink your teeth into. Easy to prepare, it will definitely be your go-to recipe.

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Ingredients 

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For the Brine

• ▢ 8 cups cold water
• ▢ ½ cup kosher salt
• ▢ 1 lemon grated zest & sliced
• ▢ 6 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• ▢ ¼ cup flat leaf parsley Italian parsley
• ▢ 2 sprigs rosemary
• ▢ 4 sprigs thyme
• ▢ 3 tbsp honey
• ▢ 1 head garlic skin left on and cloves smashed

For Frying the Chicken

• ▢ 10 pieces chicken skin-on and bone-in (whole breast cut in-half)
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1½ tbsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1½ tbsp onion powder
• ▢ 1½ tsp sweet paprika
• ▢ 1½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 qt buttermilk
• ▢ 10 cups peanut oil

Video

Instructions 

For the Brine

• Place all brine ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute or until the salt dissolves, then chill completely.
  8 cups cold water, ½ cup kosher salt, 1 lemon, 6 bay leaves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, 2 sprigs rosemary, 4 sprigs thyme, 3 tbsp honey, 1 head garlic
• When the mixture has chilled, add the chicken pieces and brine for 8 hours. Do NOT brine more than 8 hours or the chicken could be too salty.
  10 pieces chicken
• After 8 hours, transfer the chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined plate and pat completely dry with other paper towels. Allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for 1 hour before deep frying and while prepping to cook.

For Frying the Chicken

• Mix together flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt & pepper. Divide the flour mixture into 2 bowls.
  2 cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tbsp garlic powder, 1½ tbsp onion powder, 1½ tsp sweet paprika, 1½ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Place the buttermilk in a third bowl and set it between the bowls with the flour mixture.
  1 qt buttermilk
• Preheat the oil in a large Dutch oven to 330℉. Immediately before frying, dip the chicken legs and thighs (dark meat) into the flour mixture, the buttermilk, and then the 2nd flour mixture. Fry 10-13 minutes until golden brown, and the internal temperature is 175-180°F. (The temperature of the oil will decrease, so adjust the heat to keep the oil at 325℉.) Place only 3-4 chicken pieces in the pot – do NOT overcrowd, cook the chicken in batches. When chicken is cooked through, transfer it (skin-side up) to a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.
  10 cups peanut oil
• Repeat the process with the wings and breasts (white meat). Fry 7 minutes (depending on the size of the breasts) until internal temperature is 170℉. Transfer the chicken to a cooling rack and sprinkle it lightly with coarse salt.
• While the chicken rests, add the herb sprigs to the hot oil and cook until crisp. Serve the chicken on a large tray and garnish it with crisp herbs. Enjoy!

Becky’s Tips

• The chicken has to brine for 8 hours, so make sure you account for this time.
• Don’t let the chicken sit in the brine for more than 8 hours, or it could end up too salty.
• Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of plain milk and let it sit for a few minutes until it curdles to make your own buttermilk.
• The result won’t be quite the same, but plain milk also works in place of buttermilk.
• Use a high smoke point oil like peanut oil to fry the chicken. 

Serving: 1servingCalories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 8gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 7494mgPotassium: 307mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 730IUVitamin C: 12.1mgCalcium: 173mgIron: 2.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Store

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the oven until it crisps up again.

Freeze

Freeze chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven.

Serving Suggestions

There’s nothing I love more than fried chicken with creamy mashed potatoes, a few Parker House rolls on the side, and traditional pecan pie for dessert. This buttermilk chicken is the perfect Sunday night dinner, as I can get the chicken in the brine first thing in the morning, let it sit all day, and then fry it up in the evening. This recipe makes enough for my family of 4 for dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day.

More Fried Chicken Recipes To Try

• For this Fried Chicken Breast recipe, I take seasoned breaded chicken and oven bake until golden and crunchy.
• This copycat Kentucky Fried Chicken delivers the best crispy fried chicken for the ultimate comfort food.
• Crispy Chicken Sandwich features seasoned floured chicken breasts, fried, and stacked in a bun with my favorite toppings.

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