Every year we try to switch up our holiday traditions.  While many traditions are about doing the same thing every year, I don’t buy it.  Holidays in my house are about coming together as a family around a new adventure, and every year it’s a bit different.  This year I started researching different holiday traditions from around the world, and I learned that Fried Chicken is the traditional Christmas Eve meal in Japan.

Well, less “fried chicken” and more KFC specifically.  You see, in the 1970’s the Japanese KFC franchise started an agressive ad campaign called “Kentucky for Christmas” and it was a huge hit.  To this day, families special order a holiday meal from KFC two months in advance to make sure they get their meal reserved before peak demand.  That’s some serious devotion.

In the US, KFC is open on Christmas Eve but I’d rather spend that time making homemade buttermilk fried chicken with my family.  Take that KFC marketing!

The trick to crispy buttermilk fried chicken is an overnight marinade in buttermilk and spices.  The chicken is then doubled breaded by first dipping the marinated chiken in flour, then back into the buttermilk, and then back into the flour.  This ensures a uniform coat of seasoning on the whole outside and gives the fried chicken extra crunch.

I know that KFC generally uses bone in chicken, but boneless chicken thighs are much easier to cook evenly at home.  With two small children “helping” in the kitchen I’ll take any assistance I can get, and boneless chicken is a huge help.

Mix the buttermilk and spices into a creamy marinade, then slice the chicken thighs into chicken tender sized pieces and place them into a tupperware or ziploc bag, along with the remaining ingredients except flour and marinade 12 to 24 hours.

When you’re ready to cook, heat 2 inches of oil in a deep thick bottomed pan.  I use an enameled cast iron dutch oven.  Dredge the chicken pieces in flour to coat, and then dip them back into the marinade before you dredge them in flour a second time.  (The double dredging is key to a good crispy coating.)  Fry, turning once, until the coating is cooked to a deep brown color.  Remove to drain on paper towels.

Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken

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KFC is a Japanese holiday tradition, and this homemade buttermilk fried chicken puts the cournel's chicken to shame.

Ingredients

Chicken Buttermilk Marinadge

• 1 to 1.5 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 Tbs. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic granules or powder, or several cloves fresh garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp. onion granules or powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Breading and Frying

• 2 cups flour, approximate
• 2 cups canola oil, approximate

Instructions

1. Slice the chicken thighs into chicken tender sized pieces and place them into a tupperware or ziploc bag, along with the remaining ingredients except flour and marinade 12 to 24 hours.
2. When you’re ready to cook, heat 2 inches of oil in a deep thick bottomed pan.  (I use an enameled cast iron dutch oven.)
3. Dredge the chicken pieces in flour to coat, and then dip them back into the marinade before you dredge them in flour a second time.  (The double dredging is key to a good crispy coating.)
4. Fry, turning once, until the coating is cooked to a deep brown color.  Remove to drain on paper towels before serving with your favorite dipping sauce.

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