Featured Recipe
Twice-Dipped Fried Chicken
By Kate
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Marinate drumsticks in spiced buttermilk mixture overnight. Flour coating mixed with leavening and aromatic dry spices for extra texture and flavor. Double dredging for thicker, crispier crust. Frying in vegetable oil heated to 180 °C, turning often for even cook. Use internal temp and crisp sound as doneness cues. Serves four. Variations suggest swapping paprika with smoked chili, mustard powder to cumin, more garlic powder for punch; can substitute chicken thighs or wings. Avoid overfilling fryer to maintain oil temperature. Drain excess oil on paper towels before plating. Salt after frying for dry crust.
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Prep:
Cook:
32 min
Total:
Serves:
4 servings
chicken
fried
Southern food
marinated
Introduction
Marinate overnight. It’s not just soaking. Buttermilk’s lactic acid breaks down muscle, tenderizes while seasoning. Skip that and expect dry, unevenly flavored bird. Flour mix is more than a coating; baking powder spikes crunch, paprika and cumin replace simple spices with depth. Twice dip for crust layers, no shortcut here. Heat oil right—too cool means oily chicken; too hot, burnt edges and raw inside. Watch crust color closely, that golden deep amber signals Maillard done correctly. Internal heat solid but juicy—the juices clear, no pink, no fudging temperature crucial. Salt after frying to keep crust dry and crisp. Resting after dredging cures coating, prevents loss during frying. Think crispy, juicy, punchy—and repeatable.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 8 chicken drumsticks skin on or off
- 475 ml cultured buttermilk (2 cups minus 2 tbsp)
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) cayenne pepper
- 5 ml (1 tsp) kosher salt
- 175 g all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups)
- 5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
- 3.5 ml (3/4 tsp) smoked paprika
- 3.5 ml (3/4 tsp) ground cumin
- 5 ml (1 tsp) granulated garlic
- 5 ml (1 tsp) onion powder
- 5 ml (1 tsp) mustard powder
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
- 5 ml (1 tsp) kosher salt
- 675 g (3 cups) vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
Coating
About the ingredients
Buttermilk: cultured preferred, but milk-plus-lemon or vinegar substitute works if fresh. Adjust acid if swapping. Double dredge essential for crunch hold. Leavening in flour mix puffs crust—don’t skip baking powder, or texture dulls. Spices can swap but balance heat and aroma: cumin adds earthiness replacing mustard powder’s sharpness. Smoked paprika gives subtle depth vs regular sweet paprika. Salt timed to after fry keeps crust dry; mixing salt into buttermilk also layers flavor inside. Oil choice impacts smoke point and flavor: vegetable or canola oils preferred neutral. Hold oil steady temp for margin of error; thermometer key investment. Skin on or off based on preference, but skin locks flavor and fat, increasing succulence.
Method
Marinade
- 1. Whisk buttermilk with cayenne and salt in large bowl. Toss chicken in marinade until submerged. Cover tightly; refrigerate 12-14 hours to tenderize and infuse spice.
- 2. Mix flour, baking powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic, onion, mustard, pepper, and salt in wide shallow dish. Sift or stir well for even spice distribution.
- 3. Remove drumsticks from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge chicken fully in flour mix; press gently to adhere.
- 4. Lay coated pieces on rack or tray. Dip each piece quickly back into buttermilk, then back into flour mixture for double coating. Shake off excess. Rest 15 minutes to set crust—crucial for crunch and adhesion.
- 5. Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy pot to 180 °C (355-360 °F). Use candy or deep-fry thermometer—temperature control key to avoid greasy or undercooked chicken.
- 6. Add half the drumsticks carefully in batches—not overcrowding. Fry 14-16 minutes, flipping every 4-5 minutes. Listen for steady sizzle, watch crust turn golden amber, no dark spots. Internal temp should hit 79-82 °C (175-180 °F). Test by piercing thickest part near bone; juices run clear, not pink.
- 7. Remove and drain on paper towels lined baking sheet. Lightly salt immediately to season crust, not the wet batter.
- 8. Repeat with remaining chicken. Serve hot, crispy, immediately. Resting chicken here softens crust, so eat fast or re-crisp in hot oven if needed.
- Don't skip rest after flour dip for thick crust. Flour mix leavening (baking powder) puffs crust, creating texture gap against tender meat inside. Buttermilk tenderizes proteins, adds tang and slight sweetness.
- Use skin-on for juicier bites, skin-off for less fat but still moist if marinated long enough.
- Substitute smear of Dijon mustard into marinade for extra tang if avoiding dry mustard powder.
- If no buttermilk, use whole milk thinned with lemon juice or vinegar—let sit 10 minutes before marinating.
- Temperature missteps cause greasy or tough chicken. If skin or crust browns too fast, lower heat by 5-10 °C. If oil cools when adding too much chicken, wait to reheat before next batch.
- Double dredging locks in moisture and creates crisp shell, but shake off excess flour to avoid sogginess or clumps.
- Save leftover oil for reuse after filtering. Heating to smoking point degrades oil and flavor, trash it.
- Use tongs or slotted spoon; avoid overcrowding which steam chicken and ruin crust.
Coating and frying
Tips and tricks
Technique Tips
Marinate chicken in spiced buttermilk covered in fridge minimum 12 hours. Dredge twice in flour-spice baking powder mix, resting 15 minutes before frying to set crust. Heat oil to near 180 °C. Fry in batches, carefully flipping every 4-5 minutes, target internal 79-82 °C temperature inside thickest part near bone; use instant read thermometer for accuracy. Don’t overcrowd oil or temperature drops, resulting in greasy chicken. Drain well on paper towels, salt immediately but lightly. Watch crust color for cues—not too pale, not burnt; listen for steady crisp sizzle. For best texture, eat promptly or reheat briefly in hot oven to re-crisp. Double dredging, resting crust, and temp control are critical steps often overlooked. Oil degradation leads to off-flavors; discard or filter after 2-3 uses. Adjust spice mix to taste but keep balance between heat and savory notes.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Rest after dredging. Sets crust. Baking powder expands during frying, creates airy crunch. Maintain even oil temp.
- 💡 Swap in smoked chili for heat instead of paprika. Cumin can replace mustard powder too. Adjust according to spice preference.
- 💡 Marinating chicken overnight results in juicy bites. Buttermilk breaks down the fibers—skipping it makes dry results.
- 💡 If you use no buttermilk—try whole milk + vinegar or lemon. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Mimics buttermilk texture.
- 💡 Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Keep oil temp consistent. Too much chicken cools oil, leading to greasy, unevenly cooked pieces.
