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Pieces of bourbon buttermilk fried chicken on a baking sheet drizzled with honey and topped with sliced chiles.
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5 from 1 vote

Bourbon Buttermilk Fried Chicken

This bourbon buttermilk fried chicken has that incredibly satisfying combination of mind-bogglingly crisp skin and meltingly tender meat with an ever-so-subtle hint of bourbon. The hardest part is letting it marinate for 2 days.
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time2 days 4 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 872

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • One whole (about 4 pounds) chicken, cut into 10 bone-in pieces (2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 breasts cut in half crosswise to make 4 pieces, and 2 wings)
  • Kosher salt (1 teaspoon per pound [454 g] of chicken)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
  • Bourbon (1 tablespoon per pound [454 g] of chicken)
  • 1 quart buttermilk

For the coating

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or less if you don’t like things too spicy
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Kosher salt
  • Honey, for serving
  • Hot sauce or chile-infused oil and chopped fresh chile peppers, for serving
US - Metric

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

  • Pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle the pieces evenly with salt and cayenne pepper and place them in a large resealable plastic bag or a large bowl.
  • Pour the bourbon over the chicken and then add the buttermilk. Either seal the bag and then squish things around to combine the ingredients or turn the pieces in the bowl to coat them well. Place the chicken in the fridge, turning the pieces occasionally, for 48 hours. (Yes, it’s a long time to wait. Trust us. It’s worth it.)

Make the coating

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cayenne, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, and coriander.
  • Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, remove the chicken from the brine and dredge it in the flour mixture. Place on the wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken. Stash the chicken in the refrigerator until dry to the touch, about 1 hour.
  • Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 to 45 minutes before you’re going to fry it.
  • Preheat the oven to 170°F (77°C). Place a clean wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • In a large deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 2 inches (5 cm). (Alternatively, you can use a deep fryer.) Heat the oil until it reaches a consistent 335°F (168°C).
  • Start frying the chicken, about 3 pieces at a time, taking care to not move the chicken around too much while it's in the oil.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: Fry the larger pieces first since they won’t dry out while staying warm in the oven. A good order is to fry 3 breast pieces in the first batch, then 1 breast and 2 thighs, then the drumsticks and wings in the last batch.

  • Cook the chicken for 7 minutes on the first side and then flip the pieces and fry until the chicken is golden brown and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C), about 7 minutes more.
  • Drain the chicken pieces on paper towels, sprinkle with a little more kosher salt, then place them on the wire rack and keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining pieces. Check the temperature of the oil and let it come back to 335°F (168°C) before frying the next batch.
  • Drizzle the chicken with honey and hot sauce or chile-infused oil and fresh chile peppers before serving, if you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 872kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 361mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g