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Spicy Pickle Fried Chicken

Spicy Pickled Fried Chicken

Charlotte Hancey
Chicken is marinated in a brine made with buttermilk, spicy pickle juice and seasonings. Then it's dredged in a seasoned flour and fried to perfection. Best fried chicken ever!
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinate 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Main Course
Servings 5

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces - any combo (drumsticks, thighs, breasts, wings)
  • 2 cups buttermilk (the real stuff - no substitutes!)
  • 1 1/2 cups spicy pickle juice
  • 4 teaspoons Lawry's seasoned salt, divided
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • Vegetable oil

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, add buttermilk, pickle juice and 2 teaspoons seasoned salt then whisk until combined. Add chicken pieces and make sure they are all submerged and coated. Cover with plastic wrap then place in the fridge to marinate for 2-24 hours (the longer the better).
  • When chicken is finished marinating, add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, 2 teaspoons seasoned salt, black pepper and cayenne to a shallow bowl or pan. Stir to combine well.
  • Use tongs to remove chicken pieces (one by one) from the brine, place in flour mixture and turn to coat all sides. Once dredged, place chicken on a wire rack that's sitting on a baking sheet. Continue until all pieces are dredged. Place in fridge for 15-30 minutes. (crucial step)
  • While chicken is resting, pour 2 inches of oil in a large deep pot. Heat to 350° F. Use a candy thermometer or instant read thermometer to ensure the temperature stays as close as possible to 350°.
  • Carefully place chicken pieces using tongs into the oil. Do not overcrowd your pot because it will lower the oil temperature too quickly.
  • Fry until golden brown, turning as needed to brown all sides, then place chicken on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet in the oven on "warm" while frying the remaining chicken. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165° F before eating.

Notes

  1. If you don't have room in your fridge for the flour dredged chicken to rest before frying, you can leave out at room temperature instead. Cold is better for resting though.
  2. If you don't have spicy pickles, add a few tablespoons of Tabasco sauce to the buttermilk brine.
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