Cast Iron Fried Chicken
This crispy cast iron fried chicken recipe is such a delicious meal to make any night of the week! It's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside!
Servings: 8
Calories: 534kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks See notes below.
- 1 cup peanut oil Or your preferred frying oil
- 3 cups buttermilk See notes below.
- 1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce Or your favorite hot sauce
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a small mixing bowl. Soak chicken in the mixture for at least 1 hr in the fridge.
- Heat the oil on the stovetop in a 12" cast iron skillet to 350°F
- In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.
- Dredge the chicken in the dry ingredients, and shake off any excess flour.
- Carefully place the chicken in the skillet. It will sizzle and may splatter hot oil, so be careful.
- Use tongs to rotate the chicken once a brown crust develops, and continue to rotate so it cooks evenly. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes on each side for drumsticks and 10-12 minutes per side for the thighs. Use an instant thermometer to ensure the meat is fully cooked through.
Notes
- You can make this recipe with chicken thighs, tenders, or chicken breasts. You will need to adjust the cooking times accordingly.
- Chicken is ready when an internal temperature of 165°F has been reached, and the meat is no longer pink.
- You can skip the one-hour marinade and just run the chicken through the buttermilk right before dredging through the flour to save time if needed.
- To make buttermilk: Combine 1 tbsp of lemon juice with 1 cup of milk. Stir well and let it sit for 5 minutes.