Is Buttermilk An Essential Ingredient For Fried Chicken?

Frying up perfect pieces of juicy, crispy chicken is practically an art form. From choosing just the right oil and knowing exactly how to dredge to nailing down the double-frying technique, there are a lot of working parts involved in achieving fried chicken bliss. But one of the most important parts of the process lies in what you do leading up to the actual fry: marinating. And for that, many people turn to buttermilk — but do you need it? To find out, Food Republic chatted with celebrity chef Art Smith of Reunion, where he serves up his "Famous Fried Chicken."

In addition to helping to keep the meat moist and juicy, buttermilk can also help the breading to better adhere to the chicken. After all, you may want the meat to fall off the bone, but losing that crispy coating shatters the entire fried chicken experience. Plus, using buttermilk couldn't be easier. Simply place the chicken in a container and submerge it in the buttermilk for about eight hours. Then, just dredge and fry like you normally would.

"Buttermilk is a classic ingredient for marinating fried chicken because its acidity helps tenderize the meat by breaking down the protein," Smith said. "However, it's not absolutely necessary. I've used other acidic ingredients like yogurt, kefir, or even a mix of vinegar, pickle juice, or hot sauce with water."

So, the most important part of the marinade is its light acidity. This keeps things tender, juicy, and the marinade will help your breading adhere to your meat.

There's no shortage of tips out there for taking your fried chicken to the next level. But if you're looking for a simple way to build on chef Art Smith's advice to use buttermilk, try shaking some Tabasco into your buttermilk marinade.

And while chef Smith offered up some alternatives to buttermilk (all of which "work well in a pinch and still provide that signature tenderness and tang"), you can also easily make a substitute for it. All you need is to stir a dash of vinegar or lemon juice into milk. No milk? No problem! Sour cream can work, too. However, you may want to add a little water so that the consistency is closer to milk.

If you're looking to experiment in the kitchen with some unconventional ingredients that might kick your chicken up a notch, consider using a can of condensed cream of chicken soup. You can thin it out a bit with the buttermilk and let the two work together to tenderize the meat and keep the breading attached, or you can skip the buttermilk altogether and use water or milk to thin the soup down.

Or consider turning to your liquor cabinet. Using vodka in your marinade or a wet batter can also help you achieve the tender meat and crispy exterior you're looking for.