Southern Fried Chicken Batter - The Recipe Exchange

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch (for extra crunch)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Wet Ingredients for the Batter:
2 large eggs
1½ cups buttermilk (or use milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice as a substitute)
1 tablespoon hot sauce (like Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce)

For Prepping the Chicken:
8–10 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken (breasts, thighs, wings, drumsticks)
Salt and pepper to season
Optional: 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or Old Bay

Directions

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. This step is crucial—the drier the chicken, the better the coating will stick.

Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and any additional spice blend. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or ideally refrigerate it overnight for deeper flavor.

In a large bowl, whisk together Eggs, Buttermilk, and Hot sauce.

Mix until combined and set aside. This mixture helps the flour stick while also tenderizing the chicken.

In another bowl or a large zip-top bag, combine Flour, Cornstarch, Baking powder, All your spices.

Whisk or shake to evenly distribute everything. This is your magic mix that delivers a golden, crispy crust.

First dip the chicken in the wet buttermilk mixture.

Then coat it in the flour mixture, pressing down to ensure the coating sticks.

Repeat back into the buttermilk, and again into the flour.

Let the coated chicken pieces rest on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. This helps the coating adhere and firms up the crust.

You can deep-fry, pan-fry, or even air-fry. Here’s the traditional stove-top frying method:

In a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron is perfect), heat 1½ to 2 inches of oil to 325–350°F.

Fry the chicken in batches—don’t crowd the pan. Each piece should have room to breathe.

Cook for 12–15 minutes for dark meat or 10–12 minutes for white meat. Flip halfway through and monitor closely.

Internal temperature should be at least 165°F (use a meat thermometer).

Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray or wire rack.