Cast Iron Fried Chicken

Fried chicken lives or dies on oil temperature, and that is exactly why a cast iron pan is the traditional tool. Brine the chicken in buttermilk, dredge it in well-seasoned flour, and shallow-fry it in a deep skillet or dutch oven of oil held around 325°F. The heavy iron barely flinches when cold chicken hits the pan, so the oil stays hot and the crust fries crisp instead of turning greasy. Fry until the meat reaches 165°F inside and the coating is deep golden brown.

Why cast iron for this

Frying is a temperature game. Drop cold, wet, battered chicken into oil and the oil temperature crashes; if it crashes too far, the coating soaks up fat and goes limp and greasy instead of crisping. A cast-iron pan's thermal mass is the answer: the pan stores so much heat that it steadies the oil and brings it back up quickly between pieces, which is the whole reason cast iron has fried chicken in the American South for generations. A deep 12-inch skillet or a dutch oven holds enough oil for a proper shallow fry with tall sides that contain the splatter. For much more on picking the pan, see our best cast iron for deep frying guide.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 lb chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, and split breasts)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for the dredge
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• A high-smoke-point frying oil (peanut, refined vegetable, or canola), enough for about 1 inch in the pan

Method

1. Brine in buttermilk. Whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 tablespoon salt, add the chicken, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. The buttermilk tenderizes and seasons the meat and helps the dredge cling.
2. Make the dredge. Whisk the flour with the paprika, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne, and a generous pinch of salt. For extra-craggy crust, drizzle in a spoonful or two of the buttermilk brine and rake it through with a fork so shaggy clumps form.
3. Dredge well. Lift each piece from the brine, letting the excess drip off, and press it firmly into the seasoned flour to coat every surface. Set the coated pieces on a rack and let them sit 10 to 15 minutes so the coating hydrates and sticks.
4. Heat the oil to temperature.Pour about an inch of oil into a deep cast iron skillet or dutch oven and heat it to 325°F, using a thermometer. Pick an oil with a high smoke point so it can hold that heat without breaking down. Never fill the pan more than a third full.
5. Fry in batches, watching the oil.Lower in a few pieces at a time, skin side down, without crowding. Keep the oil around 325°F by adjusting the burner — it will dip when you add chicken and you want it to recover. Fry 6 to 8 minutes a side, turning once, until deep golden.
6. Check the temperature and drain.The chicken is done when a thermometer in the thickest part (not touching bone) reads 165°F. Drain on a rack, not paper towels, so the underside stays crisp, and fry the next batch once the oil climbs back to temperature.

Tips and troubleshooting

Greasy, pale crust almost always means the oil was too cool — a thermometer in the oil is not optional. Burnt outside but raw inside means the oil ran too hot, so the crust colored before the meat cooked through; drop the heat and, for big breast pieces, finish them in a 350°F oven. Dark meat (thighs and drumsticks) is more forgiving than breast and stays juicier, which is why it is the classic choice. Let the fried pieces rest a few minutes before serving so the crust sets. When you are done, let the oil cool completely before you deal with it, and give the pan a wipe and a light re-oil to protect the seasoning.