Fried Chicken Thighs

It can be intimidating to try re-creating restaurant-style recipes at home—especially if it involves deep-frying. Don’t fret, though. If you love fried chicken, this simpler-than-you-think recipe will quickly become your go-to cooking method when you’re trying to impress.

Bone-in, skin-on fried chicken thighs are full of flavor, and they tend to stay miraculously moist and juicy. Pair this fried chicken thighs recipe with fried chicken side dishes like coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort food meal, especially if you’re frying chicken for a crowd!

Ingredients for Fried Chicken Thighs

• Buttermilk: Buttermilk is the perfect fried chicken marinade. The acids in buttermilk tenderize the chicken as it marinates for eight hours, making the fried chicken thighs extra juicy and tender once deep-fried.
• Seasonings: A loud spice blend of cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper make our fried chicken thighs recipe ultra-flavorful, but there’s still room to add more seasonings for those who love a bold chicken.
• Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will deliver succulent chicken flavor. For those of you who wash raw meat before cooking, it’s time to break that habit. It does more harm than good!
• All-purpose flour: After marinating overnight, the chicken is coated in seasoned all-purpose flour to create that super crispy, irresistible skin.
• Oil: The best oils for deep frying are neutral oils with a high smoke point. Canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, peanut oil and corn oil are all viable options.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate in buttermilk

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In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon cayenne.

Place the chicken thighs in the bowl and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with storage wrap and refrigerate the chicken thighs in the marinade for at least eight hours or overnight.

Step 2: Dredge in flour

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In a large resealable bag, combine the flour, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, the onion powder, the garlic powder and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.

Set a large wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Working in batches, drain the chicken, scraping off most of the buttermilk against the side of the bowl.

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Add the chicken to the bag, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat completely. Transfer the chicken to the rack, pressing the flour to help it adhere as you remove the chicken from the bag.

Step 3: Fry the chicken

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In a large cast-iron skillet with tall sides, heat the oil to 350°F. Set another rack over a baking sheet and line it with paper towels. Add half the chicken to the oil, making sure not to crowd the skillet. Fry until the chicken is golden, crisp and cooked through to 165°, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to the rack to drain and cool (it’ll need about five minutes). Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Editor’s Tip: Add the oil to the cast-iron skillet until it is at least 1 inch high.

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Recipe Variations

• Use a buttermilk substitute: It’s super easy to make a buttermilk substitute if you want to save a trip to the store. For each cup of buttermilk needed, pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice or distilled white vinegar into a measuring cup. Then pour enough milk into the cup to measure 1 cup. Stir everything together and let it sit for five minutes.
• Play around with the spices: There’s definitely room to add more seasoning to this fried chicken thighs recipe. I mean, seriously, KFC’s fried chicken recipe has more than 10 herbs and spices! Dig through your spice cabinet and pull out what interests you. Smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried basil, ground mustard, white pepper and MSG are all great additional seasonings for this fried chicken thighs recipe.

How to Store Fried Chicken Thighs

While fried chicken tastes incredible when hot and fresh from the fryer, many people look forward to eating leftover fried chicken the next day just as they enjoy a leftover slice of pizza.

Cooled-to-room-temperature fried chicken should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to four months.

How should I reheat fried chicken thighs?

To reheat fried chicken, place the thighs on top of a wire rack on a baking sheet. This will allow air to circulate around the chicken as it reheats to re-crisp the skin. Warm the chicken in a 400° oven until heated through to 165°, 10 to 15 minutes.

Fried Chicken Thigh Tips

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What should I serve with fried chicken thighs?

This fried chicken thighs recipe pairs well with classic, down-home southern side dishes. Think buttered corn on the cob, decadent mac and cheese, or fluffy buttermilk biscuits. Of course, warm and crispy fried chicken also pairs perfectly with an ice-cold beer, such as a pilsner. You can even serve fried chicken with sparkling wine! Seem strange? The acidity from a bottle of bubbly can cut the richness of an indulgent fried chicken dish, making it a surprising pairing.

How can you make sure your fried chicken thighs are juicy?

As with other meats, it’s important to allow the chicken to rest before cutting into it or taking that first bite. For fried chicken thighs, a rest of about five minutes should do it.

How can you make sure your fried chicken thighs are crispy?

Crispy skin is the hallmark of perfect fried chicken. To achieve this, don’t overcrowd the pan when frying. Also, cool the chicken at room temperature on a rack to allow airflow to all sides of the chicken.