Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe | Lawry's (2024)

FAQs

What does soaking chicken in buttermilk do? ›

The secret to making the perfect fried chicken is the use of buttermilk, as it helps tenderize each piece while leaving each bite juicy and crispy. After marinating, dredge your chicken pieces in the flour mixture and get to frying!

Pour buttermilk marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken pieces, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours. Combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in another resealable plastic bag; shake to mix thoroughly.

Remove the chicken from the buttermilk brine and use paper towels to dry off the chicken and remove any extra bits of spices. Add the dried chicken into the freezer bag with the flour one at a time and toss to coat. Shake any excess flour off as you transfer the chicken to a wire rack.

You could but you'll get better results using yogurt or sour cream mixed with milk. Adding vinegar to milk will make it sour, which will flavor the meat, but buttermilk, yogurt and sour cream have cultured bacteria and enzymes that will tenderize the chicken, as well as provide flavor.

Robby Melvin, Time Inc. Food Studios recipe developer, also shares my sentiments about buttermilk. He says, “Soaking chicken in buttermilk acts as a brine.” The buttermilk adheres to the chicken much better and allows for the breading to also have more sticking power.

Meat is not properly dry

If the meat is wet, it will make the flour soggy. In that case, breading will not stick properly and may fall off when deep frying. Therefore, you must take some paper towels and pat dry the meat on all sides.

Always dip your chicken in beaten egg before coating

Dipping your chicken in egg helps the breadcrumbs, or whatever coating you use, adhere evenly to the outside of the cutlet. You should start with a thin layer of flour, which gives the egg a better surface to cling to, then the egg, then the coating.

In 24 hours or less, the muscle fibers in the meat begin to separate and swell, resulting in a tender, juicy and flavorful meat. Because much of the brining liquid gets trapped inside, little evaporates while cooking, leaving your chicken with a deep layer of complex flavors that bursts on the very first bite.

When applied to turkey (or chicken for that matter—yes, I tested it with chicken too!) dry buttermilk acts exactly like its liquid counterpart. The lactic acid, still present in the dehydrated product, works with the salt to tenderize and season the meat.

Buttermilk Is More Than A Better Coating

This acidic nature also helps lightly tenderize the meat, creating an even juicier, more succulent texture. Even a few minutes of soaking in buttermilk (or resting after breading) can make a big difference.

Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of buttermilk for chicken? ›

Some recipes combine heavy cream with buttermilk or eggs but don't worry, you can keep it simple and only use cream for your deep-fried poultry. Keep in mind that heavy cream isn't as acidic as buttermilk, so you won't get as much tanginess. But if you season everything well, you won't miss it.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge it in the flour, and then shake off the excess. Submerge the chicken in the egg wash. Remove the chicken from the egg wash and dredge it in the flour a second time. Shake off the excess flour and place the chicken skin-side down in the hot oil.

How does buttermilk tenderize chicken? Yes, buttermilk is acidic so it seeps into the chicken and starts to break down the protein structure slightly. This creates a softer, more tender chicken. The acidity of the buttermilk is to thank for this process.

Not only did the chicken come out just as moist as with water brine, it was actually significantly more tender as well, due to the tenderizing effects of buttermilk on food (soaking it for more than one night led to chicken that was so tender that it bordered on mush).

What effect does buttermilk have on chicken? Buttermilk is slightly acidic, so as the chicken marinates, the buttermilk breaks down the proteins in the chicken, tenderising it. Its thicker texture helps completely coat the chicken in the spiced flour mixture so it crisps up well when fried.

It's not necessary to rinse the chicken after marinating it in milk. Simply pat the chicken dry with paper towels before cooking it. This will help to ensure that the milk and any added flavors from the marinade are absorbed into the chicken during the cooking process.