Rudy Desanti Jr.'s Buttermilk Fried Chicken

The owner of Dreesen's Catering in East Hampton, N.Y. says the secret to his crunchy, juicy chicken is marinating it for at least 24 hours.

The owner of Dreesen’s Catering in East Hampton, N.Y. says the secret to his crunchy, juicy chicken is marinating it for at least 24 hours.

Rudy Desanti Jr.’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken

1 (2½- to 3-lb.) whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
1 qt. whole buttermilk
¼ cup chile hot sauce (like Cholula)
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup fine yellow cornmeal
1½ Tbsp. black pepper
1½ Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. ground turmeric
1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more for serving
1 tsp. onion powder
¾ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
Canola oil, for frying

1. Place chicken pieces, buttermilk and hot sauce in a large resealable bag or container; seal and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours.

2. Stir together all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cornmeal, black pepper, paprika, turmeric, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper in a large bowl until combined.

3. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; drain in a colander, turning occasionally, 10 minutes. Discard buttermilk mixture.

4. Working in batches, add chicken to flour mixture, turning to coat. Shake off any excess, and transfer chicken to 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Let stand 10 minutes.

5. Pour oil to a depth of 4 inches in a large Dutch oven; heat over medium high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325°. Working in batches, add chicken to hot oil; fry until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165°, about 9 minutes. Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let rest 10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional salt to taste.

Serves: 5

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 25 hours (includes 24 hours marinating)

Quick Tip! Fried chicken is best served right away to maintain crispiness, but in a pinch it can also be kept warm in a 250° oven, uncovered, until ready to serve.

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