I am not going to pretend this is a quick weeknight recipe. It is not. Martha Stewart’s Classic Fried Chicken soaks a whole cut-up chicken in seasoned buttermilk for 3 hours, dredges it in a flour and cornstarch mixture, and fries it in 350-degree oil in a cast-iron skillet for 16 to 20 minutes per batch until the crust is golden, cracking, and impossibly crispy.
But when you bite through that crust and hit the juiciest chicken you have ever made at home, you will understand why I block off a whole summer afternoon for this. This Martha Stewart fried chicken recipe is one of her best chicken recipes because the buttermilk brine and the cornstarch in the coating do two things regular fried chicken does not: they tenderize the meat and they shatter when you bite down. One of those Martha Stewart chicken dishes that makes you wonder why you ever ordered fried chicken from a restaurant.
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Why You Will Love This Classic Fried Chicken:
- The buttermilk brine makes it juicy: Three hours in seasoned buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and seasons it all the way to the bone. If you have time, go overnight. I have done both and overnight is even better. You will taste the difference in every bite.
- Cornstarch in the coating is the secret: Martha mixes cornstarch into the flour, which is what makes this crust shatter instead of just crunch. Regular flour coatings are good, but the cornstarch takes it to a different level. The first time I tried this I could hear the crunch across the kitchen.
- Double dredge locks it in: You dredge the chicken in flour first, then soak it in buttermilk, then dredge again before frying. That double layer of flour creates a thicker, crispier crust that stays on the chicken instead of falling off in the oil. Do not skip the first dredge.
Classic Fried Chicken Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cornstarch
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces, or 10 skin-on legs or thighs
- 3 cups vegetable oil
How To Make Martha Stewart Classic Fried Chicken
- Make the dredge and buttermilk brine: In a wide, shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Transfer 1 1/4 cups of this flour mixture to an airtight container and set aside for later. In a large glass bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of pepper.
- First dredge and soak: Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, then submerge them in the buttermilk mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnight.
- Heat the oil: Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees over medium heat. A small cube of bread should brown in less than 1 minute.
- Second dredge and fry: Transfer the reserved flour mixture to a wide, shallow dish. Working in batches, lift the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and dredge in the flour mixture. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, 16 to 20 minutes per batch, flipping once. Adjust the heat if the chicken is browning too quickly.
- Drain and serve: Using tongs, transfer the chicken to the wire rack to drain for 5 minutes, then serve.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the oil at 350 degrees: If the oil is too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks. Too cool and the coating absorbs oil and turns soggy. I clip a candy or deep-fry thermometer to the side of the skillet and watch it the entire time. Adjusting the burner every few minutes is normal.
- Do not crowd the skillet: Fry in batches. If you put all 10 pieces in at once, the oil temperature drops and the chicken steams instead of frying. I do 4 to 5 pieces per batch. It takes longer but the crust is worth it.
- Use the reserved flour, not the contaminated one: Martha has you set aside 1 1/4 cups of the flour mixture before the raw chicken touches it. That clean flour is what you dredge in before frying. If you accidentally use the flour that had raw chicken in it, you are cross-contaminating. I label the containers so I do not mix them up.
- Let it drain on a wire rack, not paper towels alone: The rack keeps air circulating under the chicken so the bottom stays crispy. If it sits flat on paper towels, the bottom steams and goes soft. Five minutes on the rack and it is ready.
Three Variations To Try
Martha includes three ways to change up the buttermilk brine. All three go into the buttermilk mixture before the chicken soaks.
- Smoked Paprika: Add 1/4 cup tomato paste, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon ground oregano. I have tried this one and the smokiness works really well with the buttermilk. It is my favorite of the three.
- Spiced Mustard: Add 1 tablespoon ground mustard, 4 teaspoons Old Bay, and 2 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce. If you like a little heat and that Old Bay seasoning flavor, this is the one to try.
- Lemon-Pepper Garlic: Add 1 teaspoon pepper, 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest from 3 lemons, and 4 grated garlic cloves. This one is the brightest and freshest of the three.
What Goes Well With This Fried Chicken
This is a full spread kind of meal. I put out coleslaw, potato salad, and cornbread and let people build their own plate. That is the classic fried chicken dinner and you do not need to overthink it.
If you want one more thing, mac and cheese rounds it out. But honestly the chicken is the star and the sides are just backup.
How To Store Leftovers
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The coating softens overnight but reheats well. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until the crust crisps back up and the chicken is heated through.
Cold fried chicken straight from the fridge is one of my favorite things and I will not apologize for it. The coating stays flavorful even when it is not crispy. I would not freeze fried chicken because the crust never comes back the same after thawing.
FAQs
- Why does the buttermilk soak take 3 hours? The acid in the buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and the salt brines it from the inside. Three hours is the minimum but overnight is even better if you plan ahead. I start the soak before work and fry when I get home. You will notice the difference compared to chicken that only soaked for an hour.
- Why cornstarch instead of just flour? Cornstarch fries up lighter and crispier than flour alone. It creates that shattering texture you get at the best fried chicken restaurants. Martha uses 2/3 cup mixed into 1 1/4 cups of flour and it is the right ratio. Do not skip it or substitute more flour.
- Can I use an electric deep fryer instead of a skillet? You can, but Martha calls for a cast-iron skillet with 3 cups of oil, which is a shallow fry. The chicken sits in about an inch and a half of oil and you flip it once. A deep fryer works but you lose the crispy bottom that comes from contact with the skillet. I prefer the cast-iron method.
- How do I know when the chicken is done? Golden brown outside and cooked through inside, 16 to 20 minutes per batch. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the thickest part of the chicken should read 165 degrees. The dark meat pieces like thighs and drumsticks take the full 20 minutes. Breast pieces finish closer to 16.
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Nutrition Facts
(1 serving, serves 4)
- Calories: 680
- Total Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Cholesterol: 195mg
- Sodium: 720mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 32g
- Protein: 48g
Martha Stewart Classic Fried Chicken Recipe
Description
I am not going to pretend this is a quick weeknight recipe. It is not. Martha Stewart’s Classic Fried Chicken soaks a whole cut-up chicken in seasoned buttermilk for 3 hours, dredges it in a flour and cornstarch mixture, and fries it in 350-degree oil in a cast-iron skillet for 16 to 20 minutes per batch until the crust is golden, cracking, and impossibly crispy.
But when you bite through that crust and hit the juiciest chicken you have ever made at home, you will understand why I block off a whole summer afternoon for this. This Martha Stewart fried chicken recipe is one of her best chicken recipes because the buttermilk brine and the cornstarch in the coating do two things regular fried chicken does not: they tenderize the meat and they shatter when you bite down. One of those Martha Stewart chicken dishes that makes you wonder why you ever ordered fried chicken from a restaurant.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the dredge and brine: In a wide, shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Transfer 1 1/4 cups of this flour mixture to an airtight container and set aside. In a large glass bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of pepper.
- First dredge and soak: Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, then submerge them in the buttermilk mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnight.
- Heat the oil: Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees over medium heat.
- Second dredge and fry: Transfer the reserved flour mixture to a wide, shallow dish. Working in batches, lift the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and dredge in the flour mixture. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, 16 to 20 minutes per batch, flipping once. Adjust heat if browning too quickly.
- Drain and serve: Using tongs, transfer the chicken to the wire rack to drain for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Keep the oil at 350 degrees: Too hot burns the outside before the inside cooks. Too cool makes it soggy. Use a thermometer.
- Do not crowd the skillet: Fry 4-5 pieces per batch. Crowding drops the oil temperature and steams instead of fries.
- Use the reserved clean flour for the second dredge: The flour that touched raw chicken is contaminated. Martha sets aside clean flour specifically for this step.
- Drain on a wire rack: Paper towels alone steam the bottom. The rack keeps air circulating so every side stays crispy.