Chicken Exquisito -- The Batch I Finally Got Right

Spring equinox this week, not that Alabama waited for permission. The azaleas outside the daycare are already blazing pink, ridiculous and generous. The kids run past them like they are nothing. I stopped by the fence and looked at them for a minute before going in, because you should look at things that beautiful. Someone planted those at some point. Someone thought this spot needs pink in March.

Six months in the apartment. I marked it quietly to myself. Made fried chicken, a full batch, thighs and drumsticks, and sat at my kitchen table and ate a proper plate of food. I have been eating standing up a lot or on the couch. There is something that feels excessive about cooking a whole meal for one person. But Gloria would say that is backwards thinking. She always set a proper table even when it was just her and James on a Tuesday. You deserve a real meal, she would say. Sitting down.

The chicken was good. Really good this time. I let the oil get hot enough, I have a thermometer now, 350 degrees, and the crust went golden and stayed on. I called Gloria after and she said now you are cooking. Highest possible praise.

Keisha at the daycare has been my lifeline lately. She works the three-year-old room and we eat lunch together most days. She brings the most incredible food, Jamaican dishes her mother makes, rice and peas, oxtail sometimes in a container that makes the whole room smell like something better. We have started trading bites. Fair trade.

Caleb has a new word: mine. He says it about everything, the crackers, the crayons, the chair he happens to be standing near. Two years old and discovering ownership. I watch him and think: yes, baby. I understand. You figure out what is yours and you hold it. That is how it starts.

That chicken felt like a turning point—not just in the kitchen, but in something bigger, the slow work of figuring out what is mine to keep and build on. Gloria’s voice in my head, Keisha’s cooking making me braver, Caleb claiming everything in sight—it all added up to this: a recipe I finally made right, and want to make again. Southern buttermilk fried chicken, the kind you sit down for.

Chicken Exquisito (Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken)

Prep Time: 20 min (plus 4–8 hrs soak) | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 55 min active | Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 6–8 pieces)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Texas Pete or Crystal)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or peanut), enough for 2–3 inches depth

Instructions

1. Soak the chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. Submerge chicken pieces, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. The longer soak makes the difference.
2. Mix the dredge. In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and all remaining seasonings: 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. The cornstarch is the secret to a crust that stays on.
3. Heat the oil. Pour 2–3 inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven. Clip a thermometer to the side. Bring oil to 350°F over medium-high heat. Do not rush this step and do not guess—use the thermometer.
4. Dredge the chicken. Remove pieces from the buttermilk one at a time, letting excess drip off. Press firmly into the seasoned flour on all sides. Set on a wire rack for 5 minutes while the oil finishes heating. This rest helps the coating adhere.
5. Fry in batches. Gently lower 3–4 pieces into the hot oil, skin side down. Do not crowd the pan. Fry thighs 14–16 minutes, drumsticks 12–14 minutes, turning once halfway through, until deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
6. Drain and rest. Transfer finished pieces to a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet. Never drain on paper towels—the steam makes the bottom soggy. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
7. Serve properly. Plate at a real table. Sit down.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 620mg