Cook the Book: Quick Fried Chicken

Name: Cook the Book: Quick Fried Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 quart buttermilk; 2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco); 3¼ pounds One 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces with breasts halved; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 cups peanut oil, vegetable oil, bacon fat, or lard

Recipe GLPRe7fd0250314f54

American

Main Course

40 min

609 cal

Servings: 4

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Crispy, spicy fried chicken prepared using a buttermilk marinade infused with hot sauce. Chicken pieces are marinated for maximum flavor and tenderness, then coated in seasoned flour and deep-fried until golden and cooked through. The result is an authentic American fried chicken with a crispy exterior and juicy, tender meat inside.

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Ingredients

1 quart buttermilk

2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

3¼ pounds One 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces with breasts halved

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups peanut oil, vegetable oil, bacon fat, or lard

Directions

In a large bowl or container, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce until well combined.
Add the chicken pieces to the buttermilk mixture, ensuring all pieces are fully submerged. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight for best results.
In a shallow bowl or dish, combine the all-purpose flour, coarse salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, mixing thoroughly.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to 325°F on a deep-fry thermometer.
Remove chicken pieces from the buttermilk marinade one at a time, allowing excess liquid to drain off. Coat each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing gently so the coating adheres.
Carefully place the floured chicken pieces into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Do not let pieces overlap.
Fry for 12 to 15 minutes, turning pieces halfway through cooking, until the coating is golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when measured at the thickest part near the bone.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to paper towels to drain excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with additional coarse salt while still hot.
Serve hot and enjoy immediately.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.5

All ingredients are standard pantry and meat items stocked at every Charlotte grocer—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, Walmart, and ALDI all carry buttermilk, hot sauce, chicken, flour, and frying oil without requiring a special trip. The cost per serving runs roughly $3–$4 for a bone-in chicken piece, breading, and oil, making it genuinely affordable for a weeknight dinner. The 40-minute stated time is honest if you account for marinating the chicken in buttermilk-hot sauce (15 minutes minimum), but a home cook will likely need 50 minutes total including heating oil to temperature and resting fried chicken before serving. The recipe is straightforward, family-friendly, and produces reliable leftovers that reheat well in a 350°F oven, though fried chicken is best eaten fresh.