Description
This Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Summer Potato Salad recipe offers a perfectly crispy and flavorful fried chicken paired with a fresh, creamy potato salad. The chicken is marinated in tangy buttermilk and hot sauce, coated with a seasoned flour mix, and fried to golden perfection. The accompanying potato salad features tender baby potatoes tossed in a zesty mayonnaise-based dressing with fresh herbs, celery, red onion, and chopped hard-boiled eggs, making it a delightful summer meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 drumsticks (or a whole chicken cut into pieces)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- Vegetable oil for frying (about 1 inch deep)
For the Summer Potato Salad:
- 2 lbs baby potatoes (or Yukon Gold potatoes)
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or parsley)
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Paprika for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl or resealable bag, combine chicken pieces with buttermilk and hot sauce if using. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prepare the Coating: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Remove the marinated chicken from buttermilk, dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing lightly to adhere the coating. Carefully place chicken in the hot oil and fry for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the coating is golden brown and the internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F. Drain the fried chicken on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Cook the Potatoes: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add baby potatoes and cook for 12-15 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and let cool before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the cooled potatoes, finely diced red onion, chopped celery, and chopped hard-boiled eggs to the dressing. Gently toss everything together to combine evenly. Sprinkle with chopped fresh dill or parsley and a pinch of paprika if desired.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the potato salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve alongside the crispy buttermilk fried chicken for a perfect summer meal.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, double dredge the chicken by dipping it back into the buttermilk after the first flour coating, then dredging again in flour before frying.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked safely to 165°F.
- You can swap baby potatoes for Yukon Gold or red potatoes as preferred.
- Adjust the cayenne and hot sauce to control the spice level to your taste.
- The potato salad can be made a few hours ahead or even the day before for better flavor melding.
