Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Chicken: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, preferably 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks
- Buttermilk marinade: 2 cups buttermilk, 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Flour coating: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- For frying: 6 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
- Buffalo sauce: 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- To serve: Celery sticks, ranch dressing, or blue cheese dressing
Do This
- 1. Whisk the buttermilk marinade, add chicken, cover, and refrigerate for exactly 2 hours.
- 2. Stir together the flour coating in a shallow dish; set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- 3. Lift chicken from the marinade, dredge well in the flour mixture, and rest on the rack for 15 minutes.
- 4. Heat 6 cups oil in a heavy pot to 325°F.
- 5. Fry chicken in batches for 12 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply golden and 175°F internally for dark meat.
- 6. Simmer buffalo sauce ingredients for 2 minutes, then brush or toss the hot fried chicken in the sauce.
- 7. Serve immediately with celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Wing-inspired flavor in full fried chicken form: You get the crunch of classic fried chicken with the tangy, buttery heat of buffalo wings.
- Extra-craggy crust: A flour-and-cornstarch coating creates a crisp, sturdy shell that holds up beautifully under the sauce.
- Home-cook friendly: Clear oil temperatures, timing, and doneness cues take the guesswork out of frying.
- Perfect for game day or dinner: Serve it with celery, ranch, blue cheese, slaw, fries, or biscuits for a satisfying meal.
Grocery List
- Meat: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, preferably 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks
- Produce: Celery sticks for serving
- Dairy: Buttermilk, unsalted butter, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
- Pantry: Buffalo-style hot sauce, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, honey, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, neutral frying oil
Full Ingredients
Chicken and Buttermilk Marinade
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, preferably 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks
- 2 cups whole buttermilk
- 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Crunchy Flour Coating
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon for milder heat
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons marinade, drizzled into the flour mixture to create craggy bits
For Frying
- 6 cups neutral high-heat oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil, plus more if needed to reach a 2-inch depth
Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
For Serving
- 8 celery ribs, cut into sticks
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
- Extra buffalo sauce, optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the chicken
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups buttermilk, 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until fully coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for exactly 2 hours. This gives the chicken time to season all the way through while the buttermilk helps tenderize the meat.
Step 2: Set up your frying station
About 25 minutes before frying, remove the chicken from the refrigerator so it can lose some of its chill. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack for the breaded chicken, and line a second baking sheet or large plate with paper towels for draining after frying. Place a deep-fry thermometer or clip-on candy thermometer on a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
Step 3: Mix the crunchy coating
In a wide shallow bowl or baking dish, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade into the flour mixture, then rub it in with your fingers until small shaggy clumps form. These little clumps fry into the rough, crunchy bits that make the crust extra satisfying.
Step 4: Dredge and rest the chicken
Working one piece at a time, lift the chicken from the marinade and let the excess drip off for a few seconds. Place it in the flour mixture and press the coating firmly onto all sides, including under folds of skin and around the bone. Shake off loose flour, then place the coated chicken on the wire rack. Let the breaded chicken rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. This short rest helps the coating hydrate and cling to the chicken instead of falling off in the oil.
Step 5: Heat the oil
Pour 6 cups neutral oil into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot; the oil should be about 2 inches deep and the pot should not be more than halfway full. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 325°F. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil between 315°F and 335°F while frying. This temperature range cooks the chicken through without burning the crust.
Step 6: Fry the chicken until golden and cooked through
Carefully lower 3 to 4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil, skin side down, without crowding the pot. Fry for 12 to 14 minutes total, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden brown and crisp. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are best when they reach 175°F to 185°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone without touching it. If using breast pieces, cook them to 165°F. Transfer the fried chicken to the paper towel-lined tray or a clean wire rack. Let the oil return to 325°F before frying the next batch.
Step 7: Make the buffalo sauce
While the chicken rests, combine 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking until the butter melts and the sauce looks smooth and glossy. Keep the sauce warm but do not boil it hard, which can cause the butter to separate.
Step 8: Sauce and serve
For the best crunch, brush the hot buffalo sauce over the fried chicken or quickly toss each piece in a large bowl with just enough sauce to coat. Serve immediately with celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side. If you love extra heat, offer additional warm buffalo sauce for drizzling at the table.
Pro Tips
- Use a thermometer for the oil and the chicken: Fried chicken is much easier when you can monitor the oil temperature and confirm the meat is fully cooked.
- Do not crowd the pot: Adding too much chicken at once drops the oil temperature and can make the crust greasy instead of crisp.
- Rest the breaded chicken before frying: Those 15 minutes help the coating stick and make a noticeably better crust.
- Sauce right before serving: Buffalo sauce tastes best when it is glossy and warm, but it will soften the crust over time.
- For maximum crunch, brush instead of toss: Brushing gives you buffalo flavor while keeping more of the craggy fried coating intact.
Variations
- Boneless Buffalo Fried Chicken: Use 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into large strips. Marinate as directed, fry at 350°F for 4 to 6 minutes per batch, and cook to 165°F.
- Extra-spicy version: Add 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper to the flour mixture and stir 1/2 teaspoon cayenne into the buffalo sauce.
- Honey Buffalo Fried Chicken: Increase the honey in the buffalo sauce to 3 tablespoons for a sweeter, sticky-hot finish.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Buffalo Fried Chicken is crispiest right after it is sauced, but leftovers are still delicious. Store cooled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, reheat unsauced or lightly sauced chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and crisp. If you know you will have leftovers, keep some pieces unsauced and store the buffalo sauce separately. The chicken can be marinated up to 12 hours ahead, and the flour coating can be mixed 2 days ahead and stored covered at room temperature. Do not bread the chicken more than 30 minutes before frying, or the coating can become gummy.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 760 kcal | Carbs: 35g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Sodium: 1620mg | Cholesterol: 205mg
