'Fry Me to the Moon': Presenting A Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe Worth Frying For

If I fry chicken for you — I love you.

I say this because, lowest of key, I hate dealing with the used cooking oil and the lingering smell, sometimes for days, of fried chicken in my small New York apartment. So if you come to my home and I serve you these crispy, golden bits of deliciousness, often paired with soul food or pancakes, I truly give all 'the cares.'

The people I have made my fried chicken for the most are my ride or die BFF since 2009, teacher and artist Jada Prather, and my "play" nephew and fellow creative Moses Williams, son of my good friend Hopi Morton. Usually, I would fry chicken for both of them together as they crowded around my small dining room table in my old apartment on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.. We were all broke, but our bellies were full, as back then, Moses was a film student at Howard University (I've known him since he was about 10 or 11), and Jada was my roommate. Both of these men are tall as all get out for absolutely no reason at all. (Jada is well north of six feet, only to be eclipsed by Moses, who is exactly 6 ft 10,000 inches tall compared to me, a hobbit at 5'3" and shrinking.) They can also devour multiple pieces of chicken, or all the chicken, just by themselves.

But I'll also whip out the cast iron skillet or Dutch oven for my boyfriend, fellow writer, editor, and journalist Madison J. Gray, or my good friend, sales executive and creative polymath Junny Hibbert. In fact, the following recipe was the one I used for Madison and our soul food Christmas in cozy Woodstock, NY, last year. I'd never had fried chicken for Christmas before, but for Madison's family, it was something his mother did, so I was happy to recreate the tradition.

Now, you can recreate it too! (The chicken that is. No need to wait until Christmas!) The amounts of seasoning can be adjusted to taste. I like my chicken HEAVILY seasoned. For example, I don't want to see any flesh untouched by spices. I'll even loosen the skin around a thigh piece to season underneath it!

The end result is succulent, tender, delicious fried chicken that will take you to the moon and back with its flavor and subtle heat. The key is letting the chicken marinade in the buttermilk overnight (or at least for 3 hours) for the best results. Also, if you're worried it's not enough seasoning, it probably isn't! ADD MORE! MOAR!!!!! Don't be afraid!

It's chicken.

It can take it.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs of chicken or 8 to 10 pieces
• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 4 cups of flour
• About 5 quarts of vegetable oil or another neutral oil, like peanut oil
• Optional: 2 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:

• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp of smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of onion powder
• 1 tsp of white pepper
• ½ tsp of dried parsley
• ½ tsp ground thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried sage
• ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper (or more based on heat preference)
• ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes (or more based on heat preference)

Step 1

First, create the seasoning mix. Combine sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, dried parsley, ground thyme, dried oregano, dried sage, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. Halve the seasoning into two bowls — one for the seasoned flour and one to go on the chicken directly.

Step 2

Take half of the seasoning mix and liberally coat the chicken in the spices in a bowl, using either your hands or a spoon to make sure it's all mixed up and seasoned evenly.

Step 3

Put chicken in a sealable bowl or large plastic bag and pour the buttermilk over the seasoned chicken. Mix together the seasoned chicken and buttermilk for the marinade, then seal the plastic bag or bowl, and place in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or as long as overnight.

Step 4

Heat oil in a frying pan, pot, Dutch oven, or deep fryer. (A pot, Dutch oven, or deep fryer is preferred.)

As the oil is heating up, remove chicken in buttermilk from the fridge. Take the other half of the seasoning mix and add it to the flour, mix well, then add to a plastic bag or bowl to dredge and coat the chicken, piece by piece, with the seasoned flour. 

Set the chicken, now covered in seasoned flour, aside. 

Step 5

Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until it sizzles when you sprinkle flour or water onto it. Add a few pieces of chicken (three or four or fewer, depending on the size of the dish you’re frying in). Do not overcrowd. Cook each side for five minutes apiece. Then cook for about five more minutes (15 minutes total), turning over as necessary or until the chicken is at 165 degrees F near the bone when you use a food thermometer.   

Step 6

Remove chicken and place on a wire rack to cool, then repeat frying instructions with the next few pieces of chicken until all the chicken is crispy, golden brown, and done on the wire rack.

Step 7

Garnish chicken with parsley or your seasoning of choice and serve.

Tip: There are great ways to add even more flavor to your fried chicken. My favorite is to top my buttermilk fried chicken with hot sauce, hot honey, Tajin, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Yum!

Also, if you like this recipe, try making my famous Belton Pancakes as an accompaniment! Click here for the recipe!