Description
Southern-style smoked buttermilk fried chicken delivers crispy, juicy perfection with complex layers of flavor. Herbs, spices, and classic technique combine to create a memorable meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
- 4 cups (960 ml) peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Marinate: Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, and seasonings in a large container, ensuring comprehensive spice integration for robust flavor development.
- Refrigerate: Immerse chicken pieces completely in marinade, covering every surface, and rest in refrigerator for 4-8 hours to maximize flavor penetration.
- Prepare Smoker: Set smoker to 225F, selecting hickory or apple wood chips to infuse subtle smoky undertones into the meat.
- Season and Smoke: Remove chicken from marinade, pat dry, and generously coat with dry rub. Arrange on smoker grates, maintaining spacing for even heat circulation, and smoke until internal temperature reaches 140F, typically 1.5-2 hours.
- Breading Preparation: Combine flour, cornstarch, seasonings, and baking powder in one bowl, whisking to eliminate lumps. Create a secondary liquid dredging mixture by blending reserved marinade with beaten eggs.
- Frying Setup: Heat peanut oil in deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to precisely 350F, monitoring temperature for optimal frying conditions.
- Dredge and Fry: Coat smoked chicken pieces sequentially through seasoned flour, egg-buttermilk blend, and return to flour for enhanced crispiness. Carefully lower into hot oil, frying in batches to maintain temperature and prevent overcrowding.
- Final Cooking: Fry until exterior turns golden brown and crispy, approximately 3-4 minutes per side, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165F. Transfer to wire cooling rack to drain excess oil and maintain crispness.
- Serve: Rest briefly, then plate immediately with preferred condiments like honey, hot sauce, or ranch dressing for a delectable culinary experience.
Notes
- Maximize Marinade Time: Let chicken soak in buttermilk mixture overnight for deeper flavor penetration and more tender meat.
- Monitor Smoker Temperature: Keep smoker consistently at 225F to ensure even cooking and prevent drying out chicken.
- Perfect Breading Technique: Double-dredge chicken in flour mixture for extra crispy, golden-brown exterior that locks in moisture.
- Control Oil Temperature: Maintain exact 350F oil temperature to achieve crispy crust without absorbing excess oil or becoming greasy.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg