Description
Crispy butter chicken brings tender, juicy chicken drenched in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce that’ll make your taste buds dance with pure delight. Serve this classic Indian dish over fluffy basmati rice for a restaurant-worthy meal straight from your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Breading and Seasoning:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Trim 2 lbs chicken thighs into uniform 2-inch pieces, removing any excess fat for even cooking.
- Submerge chicken completely in 1 cup buttermilk, ensuring every piece is coated for maximum tenderness.
- Refrigerate buttermilk-covered chicken for exactly 3 hours to help tenderize and enhance flavor absorption.
- Combine 1 cup flour with 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and ¼ tsp cayenne in a shallow dish.
- Drain chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip off completely.
- Roll each chicken piece thoroughly in seasoned flour mixture, patting gently to help coating adhere.
- Melt ½ cup unsalted butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it foams and bubbles.
- Place chicken pieces carefully into hot butter, maintaining 1-inch spacing between each piece.
- Fry chicken for 5-6 minutes on first side until deep golden brown, checking for even coloration.
- Flip chicken and cook additional 5-6 minutes until internal temperature reaches exactly 165°F.
- Transfer crispy chicken to a wire rack, allowing excess butter to drain for maximum crispiness.
- Sprinkle 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley over hot chicken for bright, herbal finish.
- Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges for bright, tangy accent.
Notes
- Marinating chicken in buttermilk helps tenderize and add subtle tanginess, making each bite more flavorful.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches exactly 165°F for safe, perfectly cooked meat without drying out.
- Cast-iron skillet provides the best heat distribution and creates an extra crispy, golden brown exterior on the chicken.
- Let chicken rest on a wire rack after frying to maintain crispiness and prevent soggy bottoms by allowing excess butter to drip away.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 670 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 1600 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg