Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
on Apr 02, 2019, Updated Apr 15, 2025
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Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken starts in a skillet and finishes in a hot oven. This is one of my favorite of many chicken recipes; you won’t believe that chicken this good can come from your kitchen!
Before you read more, please be advised that it is not only O.K. to lick your fingers while eating this mouthwatering recipe; it is encouraged. Remember, we never judge.
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Table of Contents
- What is Buttermilk Chicken?
- Ingredients for Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
- How to Make Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken
- Substitutions and Variations
- Common Questions
- What does Buttermilk do to Chicken?
- Top Tips for Success
- Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
- More Delicious Chicken Dinner Ideas
- Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
What is Buttermilk Chicken?
Buttermilk Oven-fried chicken is a delicious alternative to the classic fried chicken, offering a lighter version with all the crispy goodness. Like our panko chicken or kid-friendly chicken cordon bleu cassrole, or this slow cooker cream of mushroom chicken, it is another delicious chicken dinner idea.
We use buttermilk in this delicious chicken recipe because it tenderizes, moisturizes, flavors, and aids in the cooking process to create a delicious and enjoyable meal.
This recipe for buttermilk oven-fried chicken gives you a golden brown, crispy coating outside and moist chicken inside. Like this southern baked chicken, it’s perfect for any night of the week and is sure to become a new favorite in your chicken dinner routine!
Ingredients for Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
- 1 chicken cut in 8 serving pieces: This should include chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and chicken tenders for a variety.
- 1 quart buttermilk: Soaking the chicken in buttermilk marinade ensures tender buttermilk-soaked meat. You can buy some in the store or make your own buttermilk.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs: This flour mixture combined with breadcrumb mixture gives that desired crispy coating.
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 2 tablespoons white pepper: These seasonings are the only thing you need for a burst of flavor.
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder: These add much flavor and a nice kick to each piece of chicken.
- 1 quart vegetable oil or melted butter for brushing: This gives that fried smell and golden brown appearance.
How to Make Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken
(See the complete recipe in the recipe card below.)
Preparation
The first thing you’re going to soak the pieces of chicken in the buttermilk overnight in your refrigerator.
- Use a large bowl and seal it with kitchen wrap to do this.
- When you’re ready to make it the next day, preheat your oven to 350° F.
Breading
In a shallow dish, mix together the flour, panko breadcrumbs, salt, white pepper, and chopped parsley.
- Take each piece of poultry out of the buttermilk marinade, letting excess drip off, then dredge thoroughly. Use your hands to firmly pat the coating onto each piece.
Frying and Baking
Use a heavy-duty skillet and pour about an inch of the oil into it and heat to 360°. In batches, fry each piece for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Be sure to make sure the oil is reheated up to 360° between batches.
Next, place each piece on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and allow the oil to drain.
When all the pieces are ready, you can put them in your oven. For the crispiest chicken, place it direction on your oven racks.
Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, typically about 30-45 minutes.
Substitutions and Variations
- For a gluten-free option: Use cornflake crumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs in place of panko.
- For an extra cheesy twist: Add grated parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Want to make it spicier? Add some hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or chili powder to the buttermilk marinade. Things like garlic powder and onion powder will add some flavor and a nice kick to each piece as well.
Common Questions
Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
Absolutely, just adjust the cooking time accordingly
Keep any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
If you’re wondering what to make with leftover chicken, the possibilities are almost endless! Some great choices would be our Crispy Leftover Chicken and Shells Casserole, Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup, Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits, and Chicken Enchiladas!
What does Buttermilk do to Chicken?
Buttermilk adds a sweet flavor to this oven-fried chicken, but more importantly, its acids and enzymes break down the meat fibers, making it more tender and flavorful.
As with many recipes for chicken, this one is marinated in buttermilk, which helps to tenderize the meat fibers due to its mild acidity.
With endless recipes for chicken marinade, plain old buttermilk is the easiest and best way to make the best fried chicken.
Top Tips for Success
- Ensure Crispiness: Pat each piece dry with paper towels before marinating and after dredging for a crispier finish.
- Even Baking: Turn the pieces over halfway through the baking time for even cooking and browning.
- Resting Time: Let the chicken rest on a wire rack after baking for a few minutes; this helps to retain the crispy coating.
Enjoy your meal with this easy buttermilk oven-fried chicken recipe! Serve it with sides like green beans or corn on the cob for a complete meal. Don’t forget to pair it with a creative side like key lime pie to bake desserts that complement the savory meal. Try this recipe next time you crave the delicious taste of fried chicken but want a healthier, baked version at home.
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Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 chicken cut in 8 serving pieces
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko style breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons white pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 quart vegetable oil
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and rinse chicken pieces, then place in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the flour, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl.
- Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Use hands to firmly pack coating to each piece.
- Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed pan to a depth of 1-inch and heat to 360 degrees F.
- Working in batches, place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown (it will continue to brown in the oven).
- Don’t crowd the pieces.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 degrees F before frying the next batch.
- When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Marinate Overnight: Soaking the chicken in buttermilk overnight is essential, as it tenderizes the meat and enhances flavor, making for juicier and more flavorful fried chicken.
- Maintain Oil Temperature: Keep the oil consistently heated to 360 degrees F when frying the chicken to ensure a crispy, golden brown coating without absorbing too much oil.
- Do Not Overcrowd the Pan: Fry the chicken in batches to ensure each piece cooks evenly and the temperature of the oil remains stable, resulting in a better texture and even cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Updated from the Original Post of December 16, 2014
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Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
Want to Save This Recipe, Friend?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 chicken cut in 8 serving pieces
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko style breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons white pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 quart vegetable oil
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and rinse chicken pieces, then place in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the flour, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl.
- Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Use hands to firmly pack coating to each piece.
- Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed pan to a depth of 1-inch and heat to 360 degrees F.
- Working in batches, place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown (it will continue to brown in the oven).
- Don't crowd the pieces.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 degrees F before frying the next batch.
- When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Marinate Overnight: Soaking the chicken in buttermilk overnight is essential, as it tenderizes the meat and enhances flavor, making for juicier and more flavorful fried chicken.
- Maintain Oil Temperature: Keep the oil consistently heated to 360 degrees F when frying the chicken to ensure a crispy, golden brown coating without absorbing too much oil.
- Do Not Overcrowd the Pan: Fry the chicken in batches to ensure each piece cooks evenly and the temperature of the oil remains stable, resulting in a better texture and even cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looking forward to trying this recipe very soon. Thank you!
Be sure and let us know how you liked it! (It’s one of my favs!)
Dan,
Like you as a small child BeMints is where I learned to eat BROASTED chicken. We looked forward to it every summer on vacation. Years later I moved to Sarasota and so disappointed that they had closed. After a few years back in town, imagine my joy when the announcement was made. Be Mints was coming back into business!! The chicken tasted just as I remembered! They only lasted for a few years and I stay on the hunt for good BROASTED chicken. NONE compares to Be Mints…..
Thanks for the memory Dan
Narda, Thanks for the awesome comments. A few months ago, a picture of BeMints showed up on Facebook; talk about a flashback! One of my favorite memories as a kid, ever. Thanks again for chiming in, how fun to hear about this from you!
Oh. My. Word!!!! My husband is eating this chicken, mumbling sweet nothings to it!!!!!! I wish I could send a pic in of what mine looked like! This is incredible
Love this, Ashley! Forget the pictures because I want a drumstick. Thanks for the great comments!
Ive tried a number of different recipes for fried chicken and this is the best so far. Chicken was juicy and tasty. Coating was crisp. I added garlic powder . I think next time i will add a tiny bit of chilli powder to try to make it just a little bit spicier.
Most of the coating stayed on. Any good suggestions on how to make all the coating stay on? Overall it was double yummy and i will make it again.
We are happy that you tried this recipe for oven-fried chicken and enjoyed it! I love your idea for adding a touch of chili powder too. Regarding the coating, one thing I have done in the past and I think that it helps, is to “double-dredge” the chicken. Essentially that means to dredge it twice. Also, I have learned to “pack” the flour on with one hand to help make sure that it adheres better to each piece. Keep in mind that you should still tap-tap-tap the excess flour off, before and after dipping it in the liquid portion of the coating. I hope this helps and I wish I had a piece of this chicken in front of me right now!
Can you leave the panko style breadcrumbs out and still get the same results?
Dreama, you can use finer breadcrumbs in place of the panko style, the resulting finish will be finer and not as course in texture. Thanks for the great question!
Such a delicious comfort meal!
This looks fantastic!! SO crispy and delicious!!
That sounds so flavorful! One of my favs. I can’t WAIT to try this! Thank you for this great recipe! So YUMMY!
I love how crispy these look! One of my all time favorite dinners!