Fried chicken is all about a tender, fully cooked piece of aromatic chicken piece, foiled in a crispy crust. Add some buttermilk to this recipe and you will get a super tender, super flavored, crunchy delight that will leave you hankering for more. You can serve these fried chicken dishes, a well made ratatouille, some salad or simply with a bid bowl of spicy cheese dip. Here are some buttermilk fried chicken recipes which you can try out with your eyes closed and your family will still go crazy having them. Basic Buttermilk Fried Chicken This will sufficiently fill 4 tummies. You must have,

• Chicken, 1 (3 lbs., fryer, cut into 10 pieces of breast, drumstick, thigh, and wing pieces)
• Buttermilk, 2 cups
• Flour, 2 cups
• Canola oil, 2 cups
• Onion, 1 (large, chopped)
• Cayenne pepper, 1½ tsp.
• Parsley, 1 tsp. (dry)
• Tarragon, 1 tsp. (dry)
• Thyme, 1 tsp. (dry)
• Garlic salt, ½ tsp. (6 crushed garlic cloves will also do)
• Onion salt, ½ tsp.
• Hungarian paprika, ½ tsp.
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure In a gallon storage bag, place the chicken pieces followed by the onion, cayenne pepper, dried herbs, and paprika and then pour the buttermilk on this motley. Allow the chicken to get doused for a minimum of 10 hours and then pour it onto a cullender. See to it that some of the herbs remain with the chicken. Now, for the buttermilk fried chicken batter, take the flour and blend in the garlic salt, onion salt, salt, and pepper. You may add a dash of chili powder to the flour if you like your fried chicken hot and spicy! Place the marinated chicken pieces in the flour and coat each piece very well. If you want, you can place this seasoned flour in a Ziploc bag, throw in the chicken pieces, and then toss vigorously to cake each piece equally. Now, in a cast iron frying pan heat the oil. Once you feel that the oil has become sufficiently hot, throw in a pinch of flour in the oil. If it sizzles, your oil is ready. Place the chicken pieces into the hot but not smoking oil with the help of forceps. Both sides of the chicken must be fried for 15 minutes each and then cook them for another 10 minutes, turning sides frequently. After that, place the pieces on some tissues to drain out the excess oil and serve with sauce! Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Gravy For an awesome six-some, you will need,

• Chicken, 1 (3 lbs., fryer, cut into 10 pieces of breast, drumstick, thigh, and wing pieces)
• Water, 1½ cups
• Flour, 1 cup and 3 tbsp.
• Buttermilk, 1 cup
• Milk, 1 cup
• Salt, 1½ tsp.
• Pepper, ½ tsp.

Procedure First, place the chicken and buttermilk into a Ziploc bag and keep it the fridge for about 60 minutes. If you want a very spicy fried chicken, then add 2 pickled jalapeños with a dash of the pickle juice or a teaspoon's worth of Tabasco sauce into the buttermilk and then marinade the chicken in it. After that, blend together the flour, salt, and pepper thoroughly. After the chicken has been marinated for an hour, coat each chicken piece with the seasoned flour and then place them on wax paper for 15 - 20 minutes. Now heat enough canola oil in a frypan and wait till it's very hot. Fry both sides of the chicken for 15 minutes each until they become golden-brown and then cover the pan. Turn down the heat and after 20 minutes your chicken will be optimally fried, flavored, and tenderized. Place the pieces on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil. Now, take ¼th cup worth of the oil that you used to deep-fry the chicken. In this, whisk in the flour, the milk, and finally the water. Allow this to boil on a medium flame for like 2 minutes. Remember to stir continuously. Mizzle some salt and pepper into this gravy and then servez avec le poulet. Oven-fried Buttermilk Chicken Since cooking chicken in the oven is the easiest and possibly the quickest way to concoct delicious chicken preparations, we must learn how to make buttermilk fried chicken in the oven as well. Now this one of those near perfect cocktail party appetizers that can be made in a jiffy. With the following measurements, you can make a fair for 4 - 6. Gather,

• Chicken, 1 (2½ lbs., skinned fryer, cut into 8 pieces of breast, drumstick, thigh, and wing pieces)
• Japanese light and crunchy breadcrumbs, 1½ cups
• Buttermilk, 1½ cups
• Flour, ¼ cup
• Garlic powder, 1 tbsp.
• Thyme, 2 tsp. (dry)
• Salt, 2 tsp.
• Sage, 1 tsp. (dry)
• Paprika, 1 tsp.
• Black pepper, ½ tsp.
• Nonstick cooking spray

Procedure Add salt, dry sage, paprika, half the garlic powder, 1 teaspoonful of thyme, and pepper to the buttermilk and whip the concoction vigorously. Place the chicken pieces in this and marinade for 5 hours at least in the refrigerator, covered. When the marination is complete, set your oven to heat at 400° F and then take two baking sheets and line them with foil. Squirt cooking spray onto the lined sheets and keep aside. In a separate, dry bowl, mix together the flour, breadcrumbs, and the remaining thyme and garlic powder. Next, pick up the chicken pieces with tongs and place the pieces on the flour. Cake each piece thoroughly with the breadcrumbs and flour. Finally, place the pieces on the greased baking sheets. After 10 minutes, squirt cooking spray evenly on the arranged chicken pieces and bake the pieces in the preheated oven for a full 50 minutes. Turn the pieces over after the first 25 minutes and spray some grease on this side, too. Once the pieces have turned a golden-brown hue after the 50 minutes, serve with some cheese, gravy, or just tomato sauce. Remember that this recipe has a high cholesterol content of 102 mg. So, let it be a once in a while affair and not a frequent one. After all, health scores over mere taste. Honey Buttermilk Fried Chicken Before I go on to the peppered-honey fried chicken recipe, you need to start by making the seasoning very essential for this recipe. Remember my article on gumbo recipe where I told you about a particular Louisiana style seasoning good for marinating chicken? You have to use the same Creole spice for this recipe. For that you will need,

• Paprika, 2½ tbsp.
• Garlic powder, 2 tbsp.
• Salt, 2 tbsp.
• Black pepper, 1 tbsp.
• Cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp.
• Onion powder, 1 tbsp.
• Oregano, 1 tbsp. (dried)
• Thyme, 1 tbsp. (dried)

Procedure All you have to do is blend all the ingredients in a mixer and voila! You will have in your hand two-thirds of a cup worth of traditional Louisiana seasoning. Once you have this, you can go on to preparing the chicken. For that you must have around,

• Chicken, 1 (3 lbs., fryer with skin, cut into 8 pieces of breast, drumstick, thigh, and wing pieces)
• Buttermilk, 1 quart
• Canola oil, 4 cups
• Flour, 2 cups
• Honey, ⅓ cup
• Creole seasoning, ¼ cup and 2 tbsp.
• Salt, ¼ cup
• Black pepper, 1 tbsp.
• Lemon, 1 (zested)

Procedure Mix together the honey, ¼th cup of the creole seasoning, salt, and the lemon zest together and store it in a plastic container. Now, pour the buttermilk into this mixture and then whip the preparation well. Once all the ingredients have uniformly blended, pour this over the chicken pieces in a manner that the pieces are coated well. Place the marinated chicken in the fridge for a good 24 hours. Even if you do not have a day in hand then you can marinade the chicken for a minimum of three hours and then use it. Once the chicken is all marinated and ready, mix the flour, the rest of the creole seasoning, and the black pepper together and pour this mixture in a Ziploc pouch. Place the marinated chicken pieces, 4 at a time into the pouch and toss to coat each piece evenly. Now, place the coated chicken on a wax paper and let it stand undisturbed for a full 20 minutes. Now, take a skillet with a clipped on deep-frying or candy thermometer attached to it and heat the oil to a hot 375° F. This will enable you to keep the oil temperature from dropping below 325° F and going above 375° F. Fry the coated chicken skin side down, and turn the side after 8 - 10 minutes. Remove the chicken when tender and cooked and place on paper towel laden plates. Place chicken in an oven preheated to 200° F, to keep them hot for consumption. All this in just 40 minutes! What more can you ask for? Madrasi Buttermilk Fried Chicken This is a perfect movie night dish with all its zing and spice! If you are making it for 4 people, you would need,

• Chicken, 1 (3 lbs., fryer with skin, cut into 8 pieces of breast, drumstick, thigh, and wing pieces)
• Canola oil, 4 cups
• Buttermilk, 3 cups
• Flour, 2 cups
• Madras curry, 3 tbsp. and 1 tsp.
• Kosher salt, 3 tsp.
• Black pepper, 1 tsp.
• Garlic powder, 1 tsp.
• Red chili flakes, ⅛ tsp.
• Granulated sugar, a pinchful

Procedure Begin by commingling 3 tablespoons of the Madras curry, garlic powder, chili flakes, and a small pinch of granulated sugar. Now, rub about 2 teaspoons of kosher salt on the chicken thoroughly and then coat the pieces with the Madrasi spice blend you created before this. Place the chicken pieces into a shallow bowl, cover with cling film, and leave it in the fridge for 8 hours for melding of flavors. Now blend together the flour, the rest of the kosher, a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, and a teaspoon of Madras curry. Alongside, heat the oil in a cast iron skillet. Now take out the chicken, drench them into the buttermilk one by one, and then coat each one uniformly with the flour mixture. Then throw a pinchful of flour into the oil. If it sizzles, the oil is ready for some serious deep-frying action. At this juncture, place the chicken pieces, 3 at a time, into the skillet. See to it that the skinned side is faced down. Cook for 8 - 9 minutes before turning over the side. Cook this side for 7 - 8 minutes again. After a while, the chicken will tenderize and then all you need to do is place the fried chicken on a rack and allow it to remain warm in an oven, preheated to 200° F. The best thing about this recipe is that it has no harmful trans fat at all and can be devoured with a healthy green salad. Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken This chicken recipe is for all those people who adore the flavor of marjoram! Gather,

• Chicken, 1 (3 lbs., fryer with skin, cut into 8 pieces of breast, drumstick, thigh, and wing pieces)
• Canola oil, 2 cups
• Buttermilk, 1¾ cups
• Flour, 2 cups
• Celery salt, 1½ tsp.
• Thyme, 1 tsp. (dry)
• Black pepper, ¾ tsp.
• Marjoram, ½ tsp. (dry)

Procedure Dip the chicken pieces into the buttermilk. Commingle flour, celery salt, thyme, black pepper, along with some marjoram in a bowl. Heat the oil in a candy thermometer attached Dutch oven to 340° F. Now pick up individual chicken pieces with tongs, cake them well with the flour mixture, and then fry them in the oil, first skin side down. After 12 minutes, change the side and fry for the same duration of time. When the chicken is cooked through, place them on paper towels so that the excess oil can be soaked up, and then serve! You can make buttermilk fried chicken strips in the same way. Rosemary-brined Buttermilk Fried Chicken For this dish as well, you need to make the brine first and then marinate the chicken well. The success of this dish lies in the duration of brining the chicken. The ingredients you will need are,

• Chicken legs, 8 (drumsticks and thighs separated)
• Chicken wings, 8 (wing tips removed)
• All-purpose flour, 420 grams
• Buttermilk, 2 cups
• Black pepper, 3 tbsp. (freshly ground)
• Baking powder, 2 tbsp.
• Paprika, 2 tbsp.
• Sea salt, 2 tbsp. (fine)
• Cayenne pepper, 2 tsp.
• Oil, enough for deep-frying

And to make the brine, you will need,

• Rosemary, 6 sprigs (each about 4 to 5 inches long)
• Water, 1 liter
• Lemon juice, from 1 lemon
• Onion, 1 (small, thinly sliced)
• Garlic cloves, 1 (smashed with the flat side of a knife)
• Kosher salt, 3 tbsp.
• Vegetable oil, 1 tsp.

Procedure Heat a teaspoon of the vegetable oil in a frypan on medium-high heat. Now fry the onion and smashed garlic bits in it. After about 30 seconds, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of kosher salt and keep sautéing. This salt helps the flavor to seep deep into the chicken when you brine the meat. Once the onion turns translucent after about 4 minutes, throw in the rosemary sprigs and keep cooking for another 30 seconds. Next, pour in the water and the lemon juice and stir continuously. Turn off the heat once a steady simmer sets in. Now, you need to keep this brine in the fridge for it to become chilled. Once the brine is chilled and ready, place a big, transparent, sealable plastic bag in a bowl and place the chicken pieces in the bag. Pour the brine into the bag, juggle the contents once to mix all of it, and then seal the bag for good. Place the bowl with the plastic bag in the fridge for a solid 24 hours. Juggle the bag after ever 6 hours so that the flavors meld in optimally. You can marinate the chicken for a minimum of 8 hours, if you need to cook it the very same day. After brining the chicken for your preferred duration, remove the pieces from the bag, wash them in plain water, and place the pieces in a large tray lined with paper towels. Place the tray in the fridge uncovered and let it stand there for 2 hours. Remember, it can be refrigerated this way for 3 days and that produces the best results. But, 2 hours is good enough in a matter of urgency. Just before finally cooking the meat, commingle the flour, pepper, sea salt, cayenne, paprika, and baking powder in a large glass bowl. Once uniformly mixed, divide the mixture in two different bowl equally. Pour the buttermilk in another bowl. Heat the oil in a pan to 350° F. Now take each chicken piece and cake it with flour in the first bowl, dip it in buttermilk, cake it again thoroughly with the flour mixture in the second bowl, and then deep-fry each piece for about 12 - 15 minutes. Do not place too many pieces in the pan at one go. Rather, do it in batches. Remember, the meat must get cooked through to the center. Once the pieces are fried, place them on a rack for 7 - 8 minutes, garnish with some lemon zest and fried rosemary sprigs (optional), and serve hot to six hungry people! If you have some time before serving it, keep the rack with the chicken pieces in an oven preheated to 250° F. This will soften the chicken further and make the crust crispier. For the first six deep-fried chicken recipes, you can marinate your chicken in the buttermilk for up to two days. The more time you allow, the softer and moistened your preparation becomes. I hope that now you have enough buttermilk fried chicken variations that you can try making on special family nights or dinner parties to become the new culinary diva of the colony!