This fried chicken uses a buttermilk and hot sauce marinade combined with a double-dredge breading technique to achieve crispy, golden exteriors while staying juicy inside. The key is maintaining oil at 325°F and frying in small batches for even cooking.
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Stir 2 cups buttermilk, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, and 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt together in a gallon-sized plastic zip-top bag or food storage container until the salt is dissolved. Pat 8 bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs dry with paper towels, add to the buttermilk mixture, and flip to coat evenly. Seal or cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Heat 8 cups peanut oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until 325ºF. Meanwhile, fit a wire rack onto a rimmed baking sheet and line the rack with paper towels. Heat the oven to 200ºF. Bread the chicken.
Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a large bowl. Whisk 1 1/2 cups cold sparkling water and 3 large eggs together in a medium bowl.
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture, pat dry with paper towels, and place on a second baking sheet.
Do the first dredge: Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture until thinly coated all over and return to the baking sheet.
Do the second dredge: Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dip in the egg mixture until coated all over and let the excess drip off. Dredge in the flour mixture again until coated all over and return to the baking sheet.
Fry the chicken 2 or 3 pieces at a time: Add to the hot oil and fry, using tongs or a spider to flip the chicken every 3 to 4 minutes, until golden-brown and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 165ºF when inserted into the thickest piece not touching bone, 13 to 15 minutes total. Adjust the heat as needed so that the oil maintains a temperature of 325ºF.
Transfer the chicken to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven. After the last batch is fried, let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Storage: Leftover fried chicken can be refrigerated on a layer of paper towels in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Refrigerate leftover fried chicken on paper towels in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through to restore crispiness.
Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot · Deep-fry or candy thermometer · Spider strainer or tongs · Wire rack and rimmed baking sheet
Marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight in the buttermilk mixture. This tenderizes the meat and infuses it with flavor.
The double dredge—flour, then egg wash, then flour again—creates a thicker, crispier crust that stays crunchy longer than a single coat.
Oil at 325°F cooks the chicken through without burning the coating. Too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks; too cool and you get greasy chicken.
Fry for 13–15 minutes total, flipping every 3–4 minutes, until golden-brown and an instant-read thermometer reaches 165°F in the thickest piece without touching bone.
Store on paper towels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven to restore crispiness.
