Contrary to what many assume a Southern household eats regularly, we don’t eat fried chicken every day. In fact, we don’t even eat it often. Historically, the southern diet was vegetable, fruit and grain heavy.  Fried chicken was served on special occasions such as Sunday Dinner, especially if  the preacher was coming.

You might be surprised to know just how few times fried chicken is cooked in Southern home kitchens today. I’m Southern down to my bones and I don’t fry it in the traditional manner.  It’s simply too much trouble.

It’s way yonder easier to fry chicken in the oven than to stand up there over your stove while the grease splatters all over creation and you.   This chicken is tender and moist from the buttermilk marinade.  It’s good hot, room temperature and cold.  I guess I could have just said that it’s good anyway you want to eat it.  Cook it for your next picnic or for Sunday Dinner. Or Tuesday Dinner. My method is easy enough you can use it anytime regardless of how busy your household is.

Marinating the chicken overnight is key. Buttermilk marinade imparts flavor and juiciness to the chicken. Let it marinade overnight and all the next day if you must. Then, all you need to do is dust  it in seasoned flour and bake it in a hot oven.

Done!

I’m not delusional about this chicken. While the flavor is outstanding, you do lose some of the quality of the crispy crust that you get when it’s pan fried or deep-fried. But, oven fried chicken is a close second and you don’t have to wipe down every square inch of your kitchen like you do after you’ve fried chicken the traditional way.  It’s a trade-off that I consider worthwhile.  Besides,Publix is happy to sell me their fried chicken anytime I want it and there’s no kitchen cleaning required of me.

When I think about my ancestors standing over a pot of hot oil to fry chicken in an hot kitchen that’s not air conditioned, I thank the Good Lord that I’m most fortunate to have better living conditions. At the same time, I thank the Good Lord for knowledge that you can oven fry chicken.

Oven Fried Buttermilk Chicken is easy than the hot, messy traditional frying method and it’s flat out tastes good.  When it gets down to it, flat out, good tasting food is what makes the world go round.

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Oven Fried Buttermilk Chicken

preheat oven to 425 degrees

yield: 8 pieces

Franks’ Red Hot Wings sauce has medium heat. If you substitute another brand of hot sauce, adjustments might be necessary for the amount you use in the marinade. Very little heat is transferred to the meat of the chicken  when using Frank’s. I’ve not tested other hot sauce products in this recipe. I prefer self-rising flour over all-purpose flour for the coating because it tends to crisp up a little better.

8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on

Place chicken thighs in a large disposable plastic storage bag.

buttermilk marinade:

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot  Wings sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Stir marinade and pour over chicken in storage bag.  Marinate in refrigerator at least overnight.

cook the chicken:

buttermilk marinated chicken, drained

2 cups self-rising flour

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Combine flour, paprika, sugar, salt and garlic powder in a large storage bag.  Add chicken, one piece at the time, and shake until well coated. Place breaded chicken on a plate.  Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Add butter to a large baking pan.  Place in hot oven just until butter melts. Remove from oven.

Place breaded chicken pieces skin side down.

Cook in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, flip chicken and cook on other side for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Drain on a wire rack for a few minutes.  Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

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3.85 from 13 votes

Oven Fried Buttermilk Chicken

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• preheat oven to 425 degrees
• yield: 8 pieces
• Franks' Red Hot Wings sauce has medium heat. If you substitute another brand of hot sauce adjustments might be necessary for the amount you use in the marinade. Very little heat is transferred to the meat of the chicken when using Frank's. I've not tested other hot sauce products in this recipe. I prefer self-rising flour over all-purpose flour for the coating because it tends to crisp up a little better.
• 8 chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
• buttermilk marinade:
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Wings sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• cook the chicken:
• buttermilk marinated chicken drained
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Instructions

• marinate the chicken:
• Place chicken thighs in a large disposable plastic storage bag.
• buttermilk marinade:
• Stir marinade and pour over chicken in storage bag. Marinate in refrigerator at least overnight.
• cook the chicken:
• Combine flour, paprika, sugar, salt and garlic powder in a large storage bag. Add chicken, one piece at the time, and shake until well coated. Place breaded chicken on a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
• Add butter to a large baking pan. Place in hot oven just until butter melts. Remove from oven.
• Place breaded chicken pieces skin side down.
• Cook in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, flip chicken and cook on other side for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
• Drain on a wire rack for a few minutes. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

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