Author's Notes: Fried chicken can be made with your favorite parts of the chicken, as long as they are bone-in and skin-on. Drumsticks, thighs and wings tend to be the favorite. Breasts are larger and meatier, so they'll take longer to cook through. This recipe can be scaled up or down depending on how many you're serving. The amounts below will feed 3-4 people.

Mildred's Traditional Buttermilk Fried Chicken Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 pieces of chicken, bone-in & skin-on
  • 1 quart buttermilk (or enough to cover the chicken when brining)
  • 2 Tbsp seasoned salt, like Lowry's
  • 2 Tbsp Kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 c all-purpose flour
  • Sturdy grocery brown paper bag
  • Corn oil (enough to fill the skillet halfway up the side)

Preparation:

  1. Layer the chicken in a large container, seasoning each layer with a couple of shakes of seasoned salt, kosher salt, black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
  2. Once the chicken is all seasoned, pour in enough buttermilk to completely cover the chicken. Mix with a large metal spoon to insure the seasoning mixes with the buttermilk.
  3. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
  4. When the chicken is ready to cook, put the flour in the paper bag along with a good dose of salt, seasoning salt and black pepper. Close the top of the bag and shake to mix the ingredients.
  5. Place a large cast iron skillet on the stove and fill half-way up the sides with corn oil. Turn the heat to medium and bring the oil up to frying temperature (350 degrees).
  6. While the oil is heating, remove the chicken from the refrigerator, shaking off as much of the buttermilk as possible. Place one or two pieces of chicken in the paper bag and shake to completely cover the chicken with the flour mixture. Take the coated pieces out of the bag and place on a rack. Repeat the process until all the chicken has been coated in the flour.
  7. Test the oil with a thermometer (350 degrees) or by dropping a small amount of flour in the oil. If it bubbles, the oil is ready.
  8. Using tongs, carefully add the chicken to the pan, piece by piece. Do not overcrowd the pan, and don't try to speed the cooking process up by turning up the temperature. The oil temp will lower somewhat when the chicken is added, but keeping it at medium will allow the oil to gradually heat back up without overheating.
  9. Let the chicken cook on the first side for about 10 minutes. When it is golden brown, turn and cook the other side. Test for doneness using an instant ready thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
  10. Remove the chicken to drain on paper towels, and immediately season with salt and pepper. Repeat with any remaining batches of chicken.