Martha Stewart Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe

This fried chicken takes two days and I am not going to pretend it is quick. Martha Stewart’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken brines overnight in salted water, soaks in a buttermilk marinade with dry mustard and cayenne, then gets dredged in flour and cornmeal and fried in a cast-iron skillet until every piece is golden and shatteringly crisp.

I make this summer dinner recipe once or twice a year when I have the time and want to do it right. Snoop called it the best thing Martha has ever cooked for him and after making it I understand why.

Try More Dinner Recipes:

• Baked Chicken Wings
• Roast Chicken
• Chicken Parmesan

Why You Will Love This Buttermilk Fried Chicken:

• The brine and buttermilk are a one-two punch: The overnight brine seasons the meat all the way through, not just the surface. Then the buttermilk marinade tenderizes the chicken with lactic acid and adds a subtle tang you taste in every bite. I tried skipping the brine once to save time and the chicken was noticeably less juicy.
• Cornmeal in the dredge is the secret: Most fried chicken recipes use just flour. Martha adds two tablespoons of yellow cornmeal and it gives the crust a gritty, crunchy texture that plain flour cannot match. You hear it when you bite into it. That crunch is the whole reason I keep making this recipe.
• The covered skillet changes everything: Martha fries with the lid on and I thought that would make the chicken soggy. It does not. The steam cooks the inside evenly while the oil crisps the outside, so you never get raw near the bone. Keeping the lid on also means less oil splatter on my stove, which I appreciate.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Ingredients

• 1 whole fryer chicken, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, cut into 10 parts
• 4 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt (for marinade)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for marinade)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (for marinade)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt (for dredge)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (for dredge)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for dredge)
• Vegetable oil, about 3 cups to start plus more if needed

How To Make Martha Stewart Buttermilk Fried Chicken

1. Brine the chicken overnight: Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and fill it with cold salted water. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Marinate in buttermilk: Take the chicken out of the brine and arrange it in a large shallow dish. Whisk together the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of salt, dry mustard, 1 teaspoon cayenne, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Pour it over the chicken, making sure every piece is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
3. Drain the chicken: About an hour before frying, take the chicken out of the buttermilk and let it drain on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. This lets the coating become slightly tacky so the dredge sticks better.
4. Mix the dredge: Combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne in a shallow bowl or paper bag. Coat each piece of chicken thoroughly, shaking off the excess for an even crust.
5. Heat the oil: Pour just under 3/4 inch of vegetable oil into a large cast-iron skillet and bring it to 375 degrees over medium heat. Heat the oven to 200 degrees for keeping the finished pieces warm.
6. Fry in batches: Working in batches, place the chicken skin side down in a single layer without touching. Cover the skillet. The oil will drop, so adjust the heat to maintain 330 to 340 degrees during frying. After the first side is crisp and golden, about 4 to 5 minutes, carefully turn each piece. Cover again and fry another 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through. Breast should reach 160 degrees, thighs 165 degrees.
7. Drain and keep warm: Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack lined with paper towels on a baking sheet. Keep warm in the 200-degree oven while you return the oil to 375 degrees and fry the next batch.

Recipe Tips

• Use a cast-iron skillet: Martha insists on cast iron and after trying this in a regular pan I agree. Cast iron holds heat better so the oil temperature stays steady. A thinner pan drops too much when you add the chicken and the crust comes out greasy instead of crisp.
• Do not skip the draining hour: That hour on the wire rack is not just about coming to room temperature. The buttermilk coating dries slightly and becomes tacky, which means the flour dredge grabs on and stays put during frying. Without it the crust slides off in patches.
• Start with dark meat: Martha says begin with the dark meat pieces first. They take slightly longer to cook and the oil is at its hottest for the first batch, which gives them the best crust. I always fry the thighs and legs first, then the breast pieces.

Why Martha Covers The Skillet

I was worried the lid would trap steam and make the crust soggy. It does not. The steam helps cook the thicker pieces all the way through so you never get that pink near the bone that ruins fried chicken. The outside stays in the oil and keeps crisping while the inside steams.

It also means half the oil splatter stays inside the pan instead of on my stovetop. Martha recommends a probe thermometer through the lid to monitor oil temperature without lifting it. I just peek quickly every few minutes.

What Goes Well With This Fried Chicken

This is a summer spread. Potato salad and cornbread are the only two things I ever put next to fried chicken. Cold salad, warm bread, hot chicken.

Some deviled eggs if it is a proper gathering. But the chicken is the star and everything else just has to show up and not compete.

How To Store Leftovers

Cold fried chicken straight from the fridge the next morning is one of the best things you will ever eat. I am serious. The crust firms up, the meat stays juicy, and it somehow tastes better cold than hot. Fridge for 3 days.

If you reheat, use a 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes to re-crisp the coating. Never microwave fried chicken. It turns the crust into a wet blanket.

FAQs

• Can I skip the overnight brine? You can but the chicken will not be as juicy or seasoned throughout. The brine is what makes the meat taste salted from the inside, not just on the surface. If you are short on time, even 4 hours of brining helps.
• Why does Martha use low-fat buttermilk? Full-fat buttermilk works too but the low-fat version has more lactic acid, which is what tenderizes the meat. I have used both and the difference is subtle. Use whatever you can find.
• What oil should I use? Martha says vegetable oil and that is what I use. Peanut oil works too and has a slightly higher smoke point. Avoid olive oil because it smokes at frying temperature and the flavour is wrong for fried chicken.
• How do I know when it is done without a thermometer? Cut into the thickest part of a thigh near the bone. The juices should run clear and the meat should not be pink. But Martha recommends a probe thermometer and honestly, for fried chicken, it is worth having one.

More Dinner Recipes:

• Poached Chicken
• Chicken Pot Pie With Puff Pastry
• Baked Chicken Thighs

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 4)

• Calories: 680
• Total Fat: 38g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 180mg
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 32g
• Protein: 50g