Buttermilk Herb-Crusted Fried Chicken

Why This Buttermilk Herb-Crusted Fried Chicken Works

During the long soak in buttermilk, the chicken slowly relaxes. The buttermilk is slightly sour, so it starts to break down the surface of the meat just a little. That keeps the chicken tender instead of tough, even though it will sit in hot oil later. The buttermilk also clings to the outside of the chicken, so the herbs and powders stick all over each piece instead of sliding off.

Once the chicken goes into the flour and cornstarch mix, that damp coating grabs a thick layer of dry crumbs. Cornstarch in the mix makes the outside lighter and crisper, instead of heavy. In the hot oil, the flour and cornstarch cook first and form a firm crust. That crust browns and hardens while the inside of the chicken cooks through. As the crust sets, it keeps the juices trapped inside the meat, so the chicken stays moist under a crunchy, well-seasoned shell.

Mistakes To Avoid

Starting the chicken in oil that is too hot makes the crust go dark fast while the inside stays undercooked. The outside looks done, so the pieces come out early, but the meat near the bone can still be pink and the juices run red.

Letting the chicken sit too wet from the buttermilk before dredging causes the coating to clump and slide off in the oil. The flour mixture turns into thick patches instead of a dry, even layer, so the crust ends up patchy and some spots fry bare and tough.

Skipping enough marinating time leaves the meat firm and bland inside while the crust is the only part with seasoning. The buttermilk doesn’t have time to soften the chicken, so even when cooked through, the texture stays a bit chewy instead of tender.

Crowding the pot during frying drops the oil temperature and makes the coating soak up oil instead of crisping. The pieces steam against each other, so the crust turns pale and soft, and the chicken can take longer to cook through.