Ready for some really spicy fried chicken? Hot sauce in the buttermilk marinade and cayenne pepper in the breading mean you’re on your way to some seriously spicy bliss.
Fried chicken is undoubtedly one of my favorite dishes. I grew up eating mostly quick fried chicken, but we always kept a bottle of hot sauce on the table to spice up the flavor.
Here, the classic fried chicken in buttermilk gets a flavorful twist by infusing it with spices rather than treating it as an afterthought. Chicken pieces are marinated in a flavorful buttermilk mixture, dredged with a kick in seasoned flour, then pan fried until crisp and golden on the outside and juicy on the inside.
What are the best chicken cuts for roasting?
For starters, you should use skin-on-bone chicken pieces. In reality, any type of chicken would work, but the skin is my personal favorite part of fried chicken, and the bone helps keep the meat from drying out.
In terms of which pieces to use, I’m a fan of chicken thighs, but any piece of chicken works well. Keep in mind that white meat (chicken breast) tends to have a shorter cooking time than dark meat.
How can you regulate the sharpness?
With fried chicken, the two main ingredients are the meat itself and the crispy crust. As for the seasoning level for the chicken, it depends on the type of hot sauce used for the marinade.
Tip for the best fried chicken
- Everything is in the marinade: Any time spent marinating is better than none, even if it’s just 30 minutes, but eight hours is the ideal spot to get juicy, flavorful buttermilk marinated chicken. You can let it marinate for up to 24 hours, but longer and it will negatively affect the texture of the chicken.
- After dredging, let the chicken rest: One of the secrets to expertly roasted chicken is letting it rest 20 to 30 minutes after dredging — it helps the coating adhere to the meat. It also gives the chicken time to reach room temperature after marinating in the fridge, allowing it to cook more evenly. (Pro tip: you should let each meat sit for a few minutes after removing it from the fridge so it cooks more evenly.)
What is the best skillet for roasting chicken?
For the type of pan, I like to use cast iron pans, but pans made of stainless steel and anodized aluminum also work well. You want a pan with a thick bottom that can handle the heat.
How much and what type of oil do you use to fry chicken?
We pan fry here, not deep fry. You only need to fill your pan with about a half inch of neutral, high-heat oil, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
I like to roast chicken at a slightly lower temperature than most — at 325 ̊F. This gives the chicken enough time to cook all the way through without burning the crust. Without a thermometer, you can tell the oil is at the right temperature when a bit of flour that has dripped into the oil gently puffs out within a few seconds.
How can you tell when chicken is cooked through?
Aside from slicing each piece to see, the easiest way to tell when the chicken is cooked is to use an instant-read thermometer: The thickest part of the meat should register 165°F.
Then transfer each piece to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
What do you serve with fried chicken?
The possibilities are endless! I think extra hot sauce is always a must for the true heat seekers. Some of my other favorites are fluffy buttermilk biscuits, creamy, flavorful coleslaw, and macaroni and cheese.
love chicken? Love fried foods? Here are more recipes to try!
- Grilled chicken on the grill
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Grilled Chicken with South Carolina BBQ Sauce
- Chicken wings glazed with bourbon maple
- Sweet tea fried chicken
Spicy fried chicken
ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 Cup hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 1/2 lb with bones, with skin chicken parts
For the dough:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
To fry:
- canolaVegetable or peanut oil for frying
method
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Marinate chicken in buttermilk mixture:
In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder. Add the chicken pieces to the buttermilk mixture and coat completely.
Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
-
dredger chicken:
Take the chicken out of the fridge. In a large paper or (sturdy) plastic bag, mix flour with black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and garlic powder.
Gradually add the chicken to the seasoned flour and shake until completely coated. Shake off excess flour and let the dredged chicken pieces rest on a platter at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
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Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan:
Meanwhile, heat 1/2 inch oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron, stainless steel, or anodized aluminum—something that will take the heat) over medium-high heat. Heat until a pinch of flour gently sizzles when added to the hot oil (but not so hot that the pan smokes), about 325°F. When working with hot oil, remember to keep a saucepan lid nearby just in case of a grease fire.
-
Roast the chicken:
Add the chicken pieces in batches to the hot oil in the pan and sear until golden on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes per side, turning the chicken with tongs as needed. When done, the meat should read 165°F at the thickest point using a digital thermometer.
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Place on a rack to drain excess oil:
Remove the chicken from the pan with tongs. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet or paper towel-lined plate to allow excess oil to drain. Serve warm.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 1183 | calories |
| 71g | Fat |
| 30g | carbohydrates |
| 101g | protein |
