Buttermilk Fried Chicken Thighs

Serves: —

american chicken main
Quantity
x

Ingredients

Meat

  • deboned chicken thighs

Spice Blend

  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp salt, to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper
  • 1.5 tsp dried rosemary
  • 0.5 tsp chili flakes
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin

Marinade

  • 500 ml buttermilk
  • 16.5 g spice blend

Coating

  • 300 g fine wheat flour (low protein, ideally type 480)
  • 15 g baking powder
  • 10 g salt

Frying

  • high-quality vegetable oil suitable for high heat
  • 1 tbsp lard (Schweineschmalz) or clarified butter

Instructions

Spice Blend

  1. Combine sweet paprika, salt, pepper, dried rosemary, chili flakes, cinnamon, and cumin.
  2. Pulverize the spices into a fine powder so they do not burn during frying.

Marinade

  1. Combine 500 ml buttermilk with 15–18 g of the spice blend.
  2. Submerge the deboned chicken thighs and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Coating

  1. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt.
  2. Do not add the main spice mix to the flour — it can burn; season the chicken after frying if you want extra flavor.
  3. Dredge the marinated chicken in the flour mixture.

Frying

  1. Heat the vegetable oil with a generous tablespoon of lard or clarified butter to a steady 175°C. Induction is recommended for precise control.
  2. Fry until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74°C.
  3. Remove and immediately pat dry with paper towels for maximum crunch.
  4. Optionally season with a little leftover spice blend right after frying.

Notes

Deboned chicken thighs give the best flavor and texture according to the creator's testing.

Use 15–18 g spice blend in the buttermilk marinade; pulverize spices finely to avoid burning.