Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken is a spicy, crunchy and healthier way to satisfy your fried chicken cravings but with no oil spatter. It’s crispy and moist right from the oven!
Pretty much everyone loves fried chicken. Whether it’s for dinner, snacking out of the fridge at 2 am or a picnic in the park we can’t get enough of it. Yet trying to figure out the best technique to make it can be stressful. I find that as much as I like to make chicken fried in a vat of oil with a double dredged crust, I like this oven-fried chicken even more. If you want a oven-fried chicken recipe that is light, crispy, no-mess and fool proof, this is for you.
Reasons why you will love this Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken recipe:
- Crispy, crunchy and juicy chicken, just like oil fried
- Easy to make and healthier than traditional fried chicken
- No stove oil spatter or leftover frying smell in the house
- Clean-up is a breeze
Looking for more simply delicious Chicken Recipes? Check some of my collection here:
- Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Garlic Thyme Butter – pan seared and dripping with butter
- Smokey Lemon Chicken Piccata – amazing flavor served with pasta and lemon
- Sweet and Soy Chicken – sporting an addictive sticky glaze
- Garlic and Honey Chicken – a classic flavor combination
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Piccata – a taste of Italy with basil and capers
The key to the super crispy crust and the amazing flavor is the buttermilk marinade. If you like more heat, add a few tablespoons more of the hot sauce to the buttermilk before pouring it over the chicken.
The easiest way I have found to marinate meat is to put the meat in a Ziplock plastic bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Squeeze the air out of the bag before sealing. That will leave the bag hanging loose around the meat so that you can move the marinade around from the outside. Once the meat is coated, lay the bag as flat as you can in a bowl and refrigerate. The buttermilk mixture will pool on one side of the bag so turn the bag over in the bowl at the halfway mark of your marinating time.
Tips and Hints for making the best Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken Recipe:
- I always say this, but it’s worth saying again: the best results start with quality ingredients, so use the best you can afford.
- Start with quality meat – use organic chicken if possible
- When it comes to using spices, keep the shelf fresh by storing spices in a cool, dark place, away from direct heat or sunlight. In tightly closed containers whole spices will stay fresh for about 4 years, ground spices for about 2 to 3 years and dried herbs for 1 to 3 years.
- If using butter, make it the unsalted variety. Unsalted butter gives you, the cook, complete control of the overall flavor of your recipe.
Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken pieces from a cut up whole fryer
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot wing sauce
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning or poultry seasoning
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine
Instructions
- Whisk together the buttermilk and hot wing sauce in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces, moving chicken around in the bag to fully coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 – 6 hours, turning the bag over at the halfway mark.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lay out a clean sheet of waxed paper for the chicken.
- In a shallow dish, mix the flour, paprika, Old Bay and pepper. One piece at a time, remove the chicken from the marinating bag, shaking off excess marinade. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture to cover completely. Shake off any excess flour. Set chicken on the sheet of waxed paper.
- Set aside the chicken to sit, at room temperature, on the waxed paper for 10 minutes.*
- In a foil lined 10 x 15 baking sheet, melt the butter or margarine in the oven for 3 – 5 minutes until bubbly. Do not allow the butter to burn.
- Place the chicken, skin side down, on the baking sheet. Bake chicken at 425 for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven, turn chicken over and continue to bake another 30 minutes. Chicken is done when juices run clear and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads at least 165°F.
Chef Tips
Equipment Used
Nutrition Facts
© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
