Fried Chicken With Pepper Jelly Sauce

Imperial June 24, 2026June 24, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating and 10 minutes coating rest
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Quick Ingredients

Chicken: 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch strips
Marinade: 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dredge: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For frying: 6 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
Pepper jelly sauce: 2/3 cup red pepper jelly, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Finish: 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, flaky salt to taste

Do This

1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
2. Simmer pepper jelly, vinegar, butter, Dijon, Worcestershire, cayenne, and salt for 3 to 4 minutes until glossy and pourable.
3. Mix the flour dredge, then drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade and rub it in to make craggy bits.
4. Dredge chicken thoroughly, pressing the coating onto each piece, then rest on a rack for 10 minutes.
5. Heat oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven and fry chicken in batches for 6 to 8 minutes, maintaining 325°F to 350°F, until 165°F inside.
6. Drain on a wire rack, sprinkle lightly with flaky salt, then drizzle with warm pepper jelly sauce or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Big flavor with simple steps: Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken, a seasoned flour-cornstarch coating makes it crisp, and pepper jelly adds sweet heat in minutes.
Perfectly glossy sauce: Red pepper jelly melts into a shiny glaze that clings beautifully to every craggy, golden edge.
Southern-inspired and party-friendly: It feels special enough for guests but relaxed enough for a weeknight platter, game day, or picnic-style dinner.
Easy to adjust: Keep it mild and sweet, turn up the cayenne, or serve the sauce as a dip so everyone can control the heat.

Grocery List

Produce: Scallions, fresh parsley
Meat: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Dairy: Buttermilk, unsalted butter
Pantry: Hot sauce, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, neutral frying oil, red pepper jelly, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, flaky salt

Full Ingredients

For the Buttermilk Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch strips
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Crispy Seasoned Dredge

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons buttermilk marinade, taken from the chicken bowl just before dredging

For Frying

6 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil, enough for about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven

For the Pepper Jelly Sauce

2/3 cup red pepper jelly or hot pepper jelly
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or less for a milder sauce
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For Serving

2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Flaky salt, to taste
Extra warm pepper jelly sauce, for dipping

Fried Chicken With Pepper Jelly Sauce – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

Place the chicken strips in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Add the buttermilk, hot sauce, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Stir or seal and massage until every piece is coated. Refrigerate for exactly 1 hour. This gives the chicken time to tenderize and season all the way through without making the coating soggy later.

If you want to marinate longer, you can refrigerate the chicken for up to 8 hours, but for the timing of this recipe, plan on 1 hour.

Step 2: Make the pepper jelly sauce

During the last 10 to 15 minutes of marinating, combine the red pepper jelly, apple cider vinegar, butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, whisking often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the jelly melts and the sauce looks smooth, shiny, and pourable.

Remove the sauce from the heat and keep it warm. If it thickens as it sits, warm it over low heat for 30 to 60 seconds and whisk before serving. For dipping, pour it into a small bowl. For glazing, keep a clean pastry brush ready and never dip the brush into sauce after it touches undercooked chicken.

Step 3: Mix the seasoned dredge

In a wide shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade into the flour mixture and rub it in with your fingertips until small shaggy clumps form. These little clumps fry into the crunchy, craggy bits that make fried chicken so good.

Step 4: Coat the chicken

Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Place it in the dredge and press firmly so the coating sticks to all sides. Turn and press again, making sure the edges and folds are well covered. Transfer the coated chicken to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Let the coated chicken rest for 10 minutes at room temperature while you heat the oil. This short rest hydrates the flour coating and helps it stay attached during frying.

Step 5: Heat the oil

Pour 6 cups neutral oil into a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot. The oil should be about 1 1/2 inches deep and the pot should not be more than half full. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Set a clean wire rack over a fresh sheet pan for draining the fried chicken.

For the best texture, keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F while frying. If the oil gets too hot, the coating can brown before the chicken is cooked. If it drops too low, the coating can absorb excess oil.

Step 6: Fry until golden and crisp

Working in 2 to 3 batches, carefully lower several pieces of chicken into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pot. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes total, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is deep golden brown, crisp, and cooked through. The internal temperature in the thickest part should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Transfer the fried chicken to the clean wire rack and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt while hot. Let the oil return to 350°F before adding the next batch. Continue until all chicken is fried.

Step 7: Glaze or dip

For a glossy glazed finish, brush the warm pepper jelly sauce lightly over the fried chicken right before serving. For maximum crunch, serve the chicken plain with the warm sauce in a bowl on the side for dipping. You can also do both: brush a few pieces for shine and keep extra sauce nearby.

Step 8: Garnish and serve

Arrange the fried chicken on a platter and scatter the sliced scallions and chopped parsley over the top. Serve immediately while the crust is crisp and the sauce is warm. This chicken is wonderful with biscuits, coleslaw, pickles, mac and cheese, potato salad, cornbread, or a simple green salad.

Pro Tips

Use a thermometer for the oil: Fried chicken is much easier when you can see the oil temperature. Aim for 350°F before frying and 325°F to 350°F during cooking.
Press the dredge onto the chicken: A gentle toss is not enough. Firmly pressing the flour mixture into the chicken helps create a sturdy, crunchy coating.
Rest the coated chicken before frying: The 10-minute rest helps the coating hydrate and cling, reducing the chance of bare spots.
Drain on a rack, not paper towels: A wire rack keeps air moving around the crust so it stays crisp instead of steaming underneath.
Sauce at the last minute: Pepper jelly glaze is gorgeous, but any sauce will soften fried coating over time. Brush or drizzle just before serving.

Variations

Extra-spicy pepper jelly chicken: Use hot pepper jelly, increase the cayenne in the sauce to 1/2 teaspoon, and add 1 teaspoon hot sauce to the finished glaze.
Chicken biscuit sliders: Cut the chicken into smaller 1 1/2-inch pieces before marinating, fry as directed, and serve on warm split biscuits with pepper jelly sauce and bread-and-butter pickles.
Oven-fried option: Place coated chicken on a greased wire rack over a sheet pan, spray generously with oil, and bake at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes, turning once, until crisp and 165°F inside. The texture will be lighter than deep-fried but still delicious.

Storage & Make-Ahead

For the crispiest result, serve fried chicken as soon as it is cooked. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, keeping the sauce separate if possible. Reheat on a wire rack set over a sheet pan in a 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until hot and re-crisped. The pepper jelly sauce can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; rewarm gently over low heat or microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each burst. The chicken can be marinated up to 8 hours ahead, and the dry dredge can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and stored at room temperature in a sealed container. For freezing, freeze cooked, unglazed chicken pieces on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 375°F for 18 to 22 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)