Ohhh yes 🍗🔥 Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken—crispy, juicy, and golden brown, but baked in the oven for a lighter version of classic fried chicken. Here’s a step-by-step recipe:
🍗 Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
Chicken
- 2–3 lbs chicken pieces (legs, thighs, or drumsticks)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Optional: hot sauce for a kick (1–2 tsp)
Coating
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional, for spice)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted butter
Instructions
1️⃣ Marinate chicken
- In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and hot sauce (if using).
- Add chicken pieces, making sure they’re fully submerged.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight for maximum flavor and tenderness.
2️⃣ Preheat oven
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil; place a wire rack on top for even crisping.
3️⃣ Prepare coating
- In a shallow bowl or large zip-top bag, mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and dredge in flour mixture until fully coated.
- Optional: for extra crisp, dip coated chicken back into buttermilk briefly, then dredge in flour again (double coating).
4️⃣ Bake chicken
- Arrange coated chicken on the wire rack.
- Lightly brush or spray chicken with oil or melted butter to help crisp.
- Bake 35–45 minutes, turning once halfway, until chicken is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
5️⃣ Serve
- Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or cornbread for a classic comfort meal.
Pro Tips
- Crispy trick: use a wire rack so heat circulates around chicken, preventing soggy bottoms.
- Spicy version: add smoked paprika, cayenne, or chili powder to flour for a kick.
- Even cooking: choose similar-sized pieces to ensure uniform cooking.
- Extra flavor: season the flour and the buttermilk separately for layers of flavor.
🔥 Variations
- 🧄 Garlic Parmesan Oven-Fried Chicken: toss chicken in garlic powder and grated Parmesan before baking
- 🌶️ Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken: add cayenne, smoked paprika, and chili powder to both buttermilk and flour
- 🍯 Honey Butter Glaze: brush baked chicken with a honey-butter glaze for a sweet-savory finish
- 🌿 Herbed Oven-Fried Chicken: add thyme, rosemary, and oregano to the flour mixture
I can also give a “ultra-crispy, golden oven-fried chicken” version with a panko-breadcrumb topping and secret seasoning mix that tastes just like deep-fried 😏.
Do you want me to do that?
