Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Onion Garlic Gravy

Introduction

The buttermilk marinade on this chicken does two jobs: it seasons the meat and helps the flour coating cling so you get a deep golden crust. You fry the chicken in batches, then use the browned bits left in the pan to build an onion-garlic gravy, which makes this a solid weekend dinner or a make-ahead meal with rice and green vegetables.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp cayenne powder
• 2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tsp paprika
• Flour seasoned with herbs and spices (e.g. pepper, cayenne, salt, ground coriander, cinnamon, thyme, oregano)
• Oil (e.g. peanut or corn oil)

Gravy

• Oil
• 1 small onion (or shallots), chopped
• 1 clove of garlic
• 3-4 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups chicken stock (or 2 cups stock + 1 cup cream)
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

Chicken

1. Cut the chicken into 8-10 pieces.
2. Combine the buttermilk and spices, and marinate the chicken pieces for 4 hours in the mixture.
3. Take each chicken piece out of the marinade and allow it to drip dry for a few seconds. Then, dredge it in seasoned flour. An easy way to dredge involves putting flour and seasonings in a small plastic bag, dropping the piece in, and shaking.
4. Let the pieces rest (separately; do not stack) for about 10 minutes. Then dredge them again. The first dredging absorbs the buttermilk marinade. The second dredging gives a seasoned flour outer coat.
5. Heat the oil in a deep, wide pan. When oil is smoking hot, drop chicken pieces into the pan, and be careful to not overcrowd (pieces should not touch; fry in multiple batches). After 3 or 4 minutes, turn the chicken, and reduce the heat. Let the chicken fry for 20-25 minutes, turning the pieces every few minutes. When the chicken is a deep golden-brown, and the juices run clear, it’s done. The chicken will continue to cook after being removed from the pan, so err on the side of “just about done”.
6. Drain the chicken on absorbent paper or cloth. If you are not serving the chicken immediately, place it in a lightly-warmed oven, uncovered, separately (not stacked).

Gravy

1. Pour off the accumulated oil from the pan, reserving 3-4 tablespoons and all the flour and chicken residue. Keeping the pan on medium flame, add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes. Whisk in 3-4 tablespoons of flour, and keep stirring until the mixture becomes light to medium brown. Do not burn.
2. Whisk in 3 cups of chicken stock. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve chicken with rice and some green vegetables. Spoon gravy over rice and chicken.

Variations

• Use shallots in place of the small onion in the gravy for a slightly sweeter, softer onion flavor.
• Use 2 cups stock + 1 cup cream instead of 3 cups chicken stock if you want a richer gravy with a fuller, smoother finish.
• Reduce the cayenne powder in the marinade if you want a milder chicken; the crust will still be well seasoned but with less heat.
• Change the seasoned flour mix by leaning more on thyme and oregano for a more herbal crust, or more pepper and cayenne for a sharper, spicier coating.
• Cut the whole chicken into fewer, larger pieces if you want juicier bone-in portions, but expect slightly longer frying time.

Tips for Success

• Let the first dredge rest for the full 10 minutes before the second coat so the flour hydrates and sticks instead of falling off in the oil.
• Keep the chicken pieces separate while they rest; stacking will pull moisture into the coating and create bare spots.
• Turn the chicken every few minutes during the 20-25 minute fry so the coating browns evenly and the meat cooks through without scorching one side.
• For the gravy, stop browning the flour when it reaches light to medium brown. Darker than that and the gravy can taste bitter.

Storage and Reheating

Store the chicken and gravy separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the chicken and gravy separately for up to 2 months.

Reheat the chicken in a 375°F oven on a rack over a sheet pan for 15-20 minutes, or until hot through and re-crisped. Reheat the gravy on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each, and add a splash of stock or water if it has thickened too much. The chicken will keep, but the crust is never quite as crisp after storage.

FAQ

Can you use packaged chicken pieces instead of cutting up a whole chicken?

Yes. Use a mix of bone-in pieces and keep the pieces similar in size so they cook at the same rate.

Can you marinate the chicken longer than 4 hours?

Yes, but keep it under about 12 hours. Much longer than that and the buttermilk can start to soften the surface too much.

Do you need the second dredge?

Yes, if you want the thicker crust this recipe is built around. The first coat absorbs moisture; the second forms the outer layer that fries up crisp.

Can you make the gravy with cream instead of all stock?

Yes. Using 2 cups stock + 1 cup cream gives you a heavier, richer gravy with a smoother texture.