Southern Fried Chicken Biscuits (Printable)
Crispy chicken paired with fluffy, buttery buttermilk biscuits for a comforting Southern meal.
# What's Needed:
→ Fried Chicken
01 - 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks, or breasts
02 - 2 cups buttermilk
03 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce
04 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1 tablespoon paprika
06 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder
07 - 2 teaspoons onion powder
08 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
09 - 2 teaspoons salt
10 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
11 - Vegetable oil for frying
→ Buttermilk Biscuits
12 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
13 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
15 - 1 teaspoon salt
16 - 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
17 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
18 - 1 tablespoon honey for brushing
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for optimal flavor penetration.
02 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
03 - Turn dough onto a floured surface and gently pat to 3/4-inch thickness. Fold dough over itself 2-3 times to create flaky layers, then pat out again. Cut biscuits using a 2.5-inch round cutter and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. Brush tops with honey or melted butter immediately after removing from oven if desired.
05 - Combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off.
06 - Coat each chicken piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing gently to adhere the coating. Shake off excess flour.
07 - Heat 1.5 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F. Fry chicken in batches without overcrowding, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F, about 12–15 minutes per batch. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
08 - Serve warm fried chicken alongside hot buttermilk biscuits. Pair with honey butter, coleslaw, or mashed potatoes for a complete Southern meal.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- The buttermilk marinade makes the chicken impossibly tender, almost falling off the bone.
- These biscuits rise up tall and flaky every single time, no special technique required.
- The spice blend hits that perfect sweet spot between flavorful family dinner and something worth writing home about.
02 -
- Letting chicken rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels keeps the crust from getting soggy.
- Overworking biscuit dough activates gluten and makes them tough, so handle it gently and quickly.
- Oil that is not hot enough makes greasy chicken, while oil that is too hot burns the outside before the inside cooks through.
03 -
- Use a kitchen thermometer for the oil, temperature makes all the difference between perfect fried chicken and a disappointing mess.
- If your biscuit dough feels too sticky, sprinkle just enough flour to handle it without working it too much.