Louisiana Chicken
on Dec 04, 2023, Updated Mar 13, 2024
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This Louisiana Chicken is juicy, crispy, and so easy to make! Simply dip some chicken drumsticks in buttermilk, coat them in a spiced flour, and fry until golden brown and crispy—it’s a quick and flavorful comfort meal.
There are many different ways to make fried chicken, but I love the simplicity of the seasonings that we use for Louisiana chicken. The key spice is paprika! It’s smoky, a little sweet, and gives your finished fried chicken an authentic Southern flavor. The best part about my Louisiana fried chicken is that it pairs so well with a wide variety of sides!
I typically pair this buttermilk chicken with some homemade biscuits, mashed potatoes, and roasted veggies. But, you can serve it with really any fruit, veggie, or starch you have on hand. Believe it or not, this Louisiana chicken is a quick meal that comes together in less than an hour. It’s a really simple dish too! The most complicated part of this Louisiana chicken recipe is figuring out who gets the last piece!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A tasty comfort food!
- Crispy on the outside, but tender and juicy on the inside.
- Seasoned with a balanced blend of savory spices!
- Easy to make!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks—Chicken wings or chicken thighs will work too.
- Buttermilk—Serves as a base for the coating of your chicken and helps keep the meat tender!
- All-Purpose Flour—For a nice, crispy outer layer.
- Spices—A special blend of equal parts salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Vegetable Oil—For frying the chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Louisiana Fried Chicken
Step #1. Combine the drumsticks and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Fold the ingredients together a few times to ensure the chicken is fully coated. Set aside.
Step #2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepepr, paprika, and garlic powder. Gently dip and roll each piece of chicken in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess. Set aside.
Step #3. Heat the oil in a large pot. Cook the chicken in the hot oil until it’s golden brown and no longer pink in the middle.
Step #4. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
While all fried chicken is similar in cooking method and ingredients, the biggest thing that makes Louisiana chicken unique is the seasoning blend. It’s heavy on the paprika and black pepper—flavors that are common in Creole cuisine.
Absolutely! Buttermilk is one of the best ingredients you can use while making fried chicken. The acidity in the buttermilk helps to keep your chicken moist and tender. Some people prefer to let their chicken soak in the buttermilk overnight before making this dish. While we find that a quick dip into the buttermilk is sufficient, you can experiment with that method if you have some extra time! If you can’t find buttermilk, you can make your own by combining 1 tablespoon of white vinegar with one cup of regular milk.
The biggest key to getting perfectly cooked and crispy Louisiana chicken is to make sure that your oil is at the right temperature before frying! If the oil is too hot, the chicken will be burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will come out greasy and soggy. A good way to tell if your oil is ready is to sprinkle a bit of flour in the pot. If it bubbles and fries up quickly, then the oil is ready for frying!
Expert Tips
- Make sure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
- In addition to using drumsticks, you can use bone-in chicken thighs or chicken wings. Using bone-in meat will provide added flavor to your dish!
- You’ll know that your vegetable oil is ready for frying when a wooden spoon dipped in the oil bubbles profusely.
- To add a little kick to your chicken, you can use additional spices such as red pepper flakes, cayenne chili powder, and onion powder.
- If you want extra tender chicken, try marinating your drumsticks in buttermilk for a few hours in the fridge before you start cooking!
How to Serve and Store Louisiana Chicken
There are so many delicious ways you can serve Louisiana chicken! I typically serve this dish as an entrée with a side of vegetables such as green beans, easy roasted carrots, or celery sticks! A simple garden salad with a vinegar-based dressing would also compliment this dish wonderfully. And don’t forget to round out this southern meal with a basket of biscuits with plenty of butter and honey!
This chicken is best served fresh, but it can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days! Reheat your chicken in the microwave for about 45 seconds to a minute. It’s important to remember that the chicken will not be as crispy when it is reheated in the microwave. If you have an air fryer, you can air fry your leftovers for 5 minutes at 390°F to help your Louisiana chicken crisp up again.
More Chicken Recipes To Consider
Pasta Dishes
Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Baked Pasta
Soups, Stews & Chowders
White Chicken Chili
Chicken Recipes
Kung Pow Chicken
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Louisiana Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 cups buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine the drumsticks and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Fold the ingredients a few times to ensure the chicken is fully coated in the buttermilk.
- Whisk together the flour, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Once combined, dip each piece of chicken in the flour mixture.
- Heat the oil in a large pot and bring it to about 350. Cook 3 pieces of chicken at a time for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer pink in the middle.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure your chicken reaches an internal temp of 165.
- Louisiana chicken is made unique by a seasoning blend that is heavy in paprika and black pepper. Other spices you can add include red pepper flakes, cayenne chili powder, and onion powder.
- This chicken is best served fresh but can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat your chicken in the microwave for about 45 seconds. It’s important to note that the chicken will not be as crispy when reheated. If you have an air fryer you can air fry your leftovers for 5 minutes at 390 to reconstitute some of the crispness.
- In addition to using drumsticks you can also use bone in chicken thighs or chicken wings.
