Bobby Flay Fried Chicken is an easy Southern dinner made with buttermilk-brined chicken, spiced flour, and peanut oil, ready after a four-hour brine soak. That makes it a great make ahead potluck or summer party dish, since the double dredge gives every piece a thick, crunchy crust.
The technique that makes this recipe work is the double dredge, where each piece goes through flour, then buttermilk, then flour again. That second coat builds a thicker, crispier shell that stays crunchy long after the chicken comes out of the oil.
What sets this version apart is the chile de arbol powder in both the brine and the flour, layering heat from the inside out. Most fried chicken recipes rely on cayenne alone, but the smoky arbol chile adds a deeper, slower burn.
Bobby Flay Fried Chicken
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy5
servings20
minutes1
hour20
minutes1975
kcalWhole chickens cut into pieces, soaked in spiced buttermilk for four hours, double dredged in seasoned flour, and fried in peanut oil until golden. A bold Southern dinner with chile de arbol heat in every bite.
Ingredients
1 quart buttermilk, plus 2 cups
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder (or 2 tablespoons hot sauce), plus 2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder (or cayenne pepper)
2 chickens (3 to 4 pounds each), each cut into 8 pieces
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Peanut oil, for deep-frying
Directions
- Brine the chicken:Whisk together 1 quart buttermilk, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder (or hot sauce), and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Set up the dredging station:Place the remaining 2 cups buttermilk in a bowl. Stir together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and 2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder (or cayenne) in a large bowl. Divide the flour mixture between 2 shallow platters and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Double dredge the chicken:Drain the chicken and pat dry. Dredge the pieces in the first plate of flour and pat off excess, then dip in the buttermilk and let the excess drain. Dredge in the second plate of flour and pat off excess. Place on a clean platter while you heat the oil.
- Fry the chicken:Pour about 3 inches of peanut oil into a deep cast iron skillet (oil should not come more than halfway up the sides). Heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F. Working in batches of 3 or 4 pieces, fry the chicken, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes per batch.
- Drain and serve: Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack to drain. Repeat with remaining pieces. Serve hot.
FAQs
Why does the chicken need to soak in buttermilk for four hours?
Soaking the chicken in seasoned buttermilk for at least four hours lets the acid tenderize the meat while the salt seasons it through. Overnight is even better if you have the time, since the flavor reaches deeper into thicker pieces like breasts and thighs. Drain and pat the pieces dry before dredging so the flour sticks evenly.
What oil should you use for frying?
Peanut oil is the best choice because it has a high smoke point and a clean, neutral taste that does not compete with the spices. Vegetable oil or canola oil both work as backups, though the crust may brown slightly faster with canola. Avoid olive oil, because it smokes at frying temperature and leaves a bitter flavor on the coating.
How do you keep the oil temperature steady while frying?
Keep the oil at a steady 375 degrees and do not crowd the skillet, frying only three or four pieces at a time. Adding too many pieces drops the oil temperature fast, which makes the coating absorb grease instead of crisping up. Use a deep-fry thermometer and adjust the burner between batches to hold the heat steady.
What is chile de arbol powder and can you substitute it?
Chile de arbol powder has a sharp, smoky heat that sits between cayenne and crushed red pepper on the spice scale. You can swap in cayenne at the same amount if arbol is hard to find, though the flavor will be less smoky. Hot sauce stirred into the buttermilk brine is another option for the soaking step.
How do you keep the crust crispy after frying?
Let each batch drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan instead of paper towels, so air circulates under the pieces. Paper towels trap steam against the bottom and soften the crust within minutes. You can hold finished pieces in a 200-degree oven on the rack while you fry the rest, and they will stay crispy.
