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Louisiana fried chicken is the one that ruins regular fried chicken for you forever, with a buttermilk and hot sauce soak that seasons the meat all the way through and a craggy, creole-spiced crust that shatters when you bite it. I fried a big batch last Sunday and my girls Maddie and Lizzie staked out the drumsticks before the platter even hit the table. If you have ever loved our Southern fried chicken without buttermilk, this bold, spicy cousin is about to become the most requested dinner in your house.
This is the kind of recipe that makes people think you trained in a New Orleans kitchen, when really it just takes a good overnight soak and a hot pot of oil.
Louisiana Fried Chicken Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 14 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 8 hours 34 minutes (includes marinating)
- 🍽 Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 415kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Bold and savory with creole spice, tangy buttermilk, and a Louisiana hot sauce kick
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Grandma’s crispy fried chicken
Quick Answer
Toss bone-in chicken pieces with creole seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and salt, then coat them in a mixture of buttermilk and Louisiana hot sauce and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Stir together flour, cornstarch, and more creole seasoning, then dredge each piece, pressing the coating in firmly, and let them sit until the coating looks pasty. Fry in 350 degree oil, dark meat for 13 to 14 minutes and white meat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the internal temperature hits 165 degrees and the crust is deep golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot.
Jump to:
- Louisiana Fried Chicken Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Louisiana Fried Chicken
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Louisiana Fried Chicken FAQs
- Other Recommended Fried Chicken Recipes
- Best Louisiana Fried Chicken Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Buttermilk and hot sauce do double duty. The acid in the buttermilk and Louisiana hot sauce tenderizes the meat while seasoning it all the way through, so every bite is flavorful instead of just the crust.
- An overnight soak is the real secret. Eight hours or more lets the marinade fully penetrate the chicken, which is what separates true Louisiana fried chicken from a quick weeknight fry.
- Cornstarch in the dredge is non-negotiable. Cutting the flour with cornstarch is what gives you that shatter-crisp, craggy crust instead of a dense, bready coating.
- Creole seasoning in both stages. Layering the same seasoning in the marinade and again in the flour builds depth, so the spice tastes built in rather than dusted on top.
- Resting the coated pieces until pasty. That short rest lets the flour hydrate against the wet marinade, which is how the coating grips the chicken and stops it from sloughing off in the oil.
- Frying at a steady 350 degrees. Too cool and the crust turns greasy, too hot and it browns before the inside cooks, so holding 350 degrees is what gives you crisp outside and juicy inside every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant-level crunch at home. That craggy, creole-spiced crust shatters like the best New Orleans corner-store chicken, no deep-South road trip required.
- Big-batch friendly. A whole cut-up chicken feeds the whole table, which makes this the centerpiece to set next to our air fryer buffalo chicken tenders on a game-day spread.
- Make the marinade tonight, fry tomorrow. The hands-on time is tiny; the overnight soak does the heavy lifting while you sleep.
Key Ingredients
These few ingredients do all the heavy lifting in this Louisiana fried chicken. Quantities are in the recipe card below; here is why each one matters.
- Bone-in chicken. A whole chicken cut into 8 pieces gives you a mix of dark and white meat. Bone-in, skin-on is what keeps the meat juicy under that long fry.
- Buttermilk and Louisiana hot sauce. The tangy, spicy soak that seasons and tenderizes the chicken. Frank’s RedHot or Louisiana brand both work; the goal is bright heat, not just fire.
- Creole seasoning. The backbone of the flavor, used in both the marinade and the dredge. Tony Chachere’s is the classic, but any creole or cajun blend works.
- Flour and cornstarch. The two-part coating. Flour brings structure, cornstarch brings the crackly, shatter-crisp texture that plain flour cannot.
- Peanut oil. A high smoke point oil that fries clean and lets the seasoning shine. Vegetable or canola work in a pinch.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Louisiana fried chicken takes well to swaps, so cook it the way your family will actually eat it.
- Switch up the heat. Mild crowd? Cut the hot sauce in half. Heat seekers? Add a spoon of cayenne to the dredge and a few more dashes of hot sauce to the soak.
- Use all dark meat. Drumsticks and thighs stay the juiciest and most forgiving, perfect if your family fights over the legs anyway.
- Air fry or oven option. No deep fryer? Spray the dredged pieces well and air fry at 375 degrees until they hit 165, the way we do with our air fryer crispy catfish nuggets.
- Gluten-free swap. A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend plus the cornstarch holds up surprisingly well in the dredge.
- Make it a sandwich. Pile a fried piece onto a toasted bun with pickles and a drizzle of hot honey for a fried chicken sandwich riff on our Southern chicken bird dog sandwich.
How to Make Louisiana Fried Chicken
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the creole seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and salt until every piece is coated.
- Pour in the buttermilk and Louisiana hot sauce and stir until the chicken is fully coated in the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight, so the marinade seasons the meat all the way through.
- In a large shallow bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, and creole seasoning for the coating.
- Have the seasoned flour ready next to the marinating chicken so you can coat the pieces in an assembly line.
- Take one piece at a time, let the excess marinade drip off, then press it into the flour, patting the coating in firmly.
- Set the coated pieces on a parchment lined tray and let them sit until the coating looks pasty.
- Fry in 350 degree oil, dark meat 13 to 14 minutes and white meat 8 to 10 minutes, until each piece reaches 165 degrees and is deep golden. Drain, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not skip the overnight soak. The long marinade is the single biggest flavor and tenderness step. A rushed 30 minute soak just is not the same.
- Pat the flour in hard. Press the coating in firmly and let the pieces rest until pasty, so the crust grips and does not slough off in the oil.
- Keep the oil at 350 degrees. Use a thermometer and fry in batches; crowding the pot drops the temperature and gives you greasy, pale chicken.
- Mind the meat times. Dark meat needs 13 to 14 minutes, white meat 8 to 10. Pull each piece at 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
- Drain on a rack, not just paper towels. A wire rack keeps the bottom crust crisp instead of steaming soft against the plate.
- Salt the second it comes out. A sprinkle of flaky salt on the hot crust seasons it while it is still glistening, the same finishing move that makes our deep fried potato wedges crave-worthy.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Louisiana fried chicken wants classic Southern sides on the plate. A scoop of creamy classic potato salad is the cookout move, a pile of homemade French fries keeps the kids happy, and a bowl of tangy easy 5 bean salad cuts the richness with a bright vinaigrette. Round it out with mashed potato cakes for the crispy-edged comfort that fried chicken practically demands.
For a full Louisiana spread, lean into the fried theme. Set the platter next to our Southern fried catfish for a fish and chicken fry, or build a hot-honey board with biscuits and pickles. Leftovers are gold: chop a cold piece onto a salad, or layer it onto a toasted bun the next day for the easiest lunch of the week.
Louisiana Fried Chicken FAQs
The Louisiana style comes from the creole seasoning and the generous splash of Louisiana hot sauce in the buttermilk soak. That combination of cayenne-forward creole spice and tangy hot sauce is what gives the chicken its signature bold, slightly spicy flavor instead of a plain salt and pepper fry.
A whole chicken cut into 8 pieces is traditional and gives you a mix of dark and white meat. Bone-in, skin-on pieces stay the juiciest. If you prefer, you can use all drumsticks and thighs, which are the most forgiving cuts and hold up best to the long fry.
Yes, and the marinade step is built for it. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk and hot sauce mixture up to 24 hours ahead. The chicken is best fried fresh and served hot, but leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat crisp in a 375 degree oven or air fryer.
Coating slides off for two reasons: not pressing the flour in firmly enough, or skipping the rest. After dredging, pat the flour in hard and let the pieces sit until the coating looks pasty. That short rest lets the flour hydrate against the marinade so it grips the chicken in the oil.
Peanut oil is the top choice for its high smoke point and clean, neutral flavor that lets the creole seasoning shine. Vegetable oil and canola oil both work well too. Whatever you use, keep it at a steady 350 degrees and fry in batches so the temperature does not drop.
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To bring back the crunch, reheat in a 375 degree oven or air fryer for about 10 minutes rather than the microwave, which turns the crust soft. Avoid stacking the pieces so the crust stays crisp on all sides.
Best Louisiana Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
For frying:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons creole seasoning
- peanut oil
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl and toss with the creole seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and salt.1 whole chicken, 1 teaspoon creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the buttermilk and hot sauce sand tir until the chicken is coated.1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1/4 cup hot sauce
- Place in the fridge for 8 hours or, best, overnight.
- Preheat oil temperature to 350°F. I used a deep fryer; you can also use a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven with at least 3 inches of oil up the sides of the pan. DO NOT OVERFILL YOUR PAN.peanut oil
- In a large shallow bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, and creole seasoning.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 1/2 tablespoons creole seasoning
- One piece at a time, take a piece of chicken out of the buttermilk mixture and let any excess drip off.
- Place in the flour mixture and coat the piece well; you will have to pat the flour in to make sure it sticks. Shake off any excess.
- Place on a parchment paper lined sheet tray while you coat the remaining pieces.
- Allow the pieces to sit until they appear pasty.
- Slowly and carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, do not overcrowd the pan. You will need to do this in batches.
- Dark meat takes 13-14 minutes, white meat takes 8-10 minutes. If needed, turn the chicken halfway through for an even golden brown.
- Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165°F degrees you will have a crispy crust and juicy meat.
- Immediately place the pieces on a paper towel lined plate briefly to catch any excess greas, then place on a wire rack over a sheet tray to catch any drips.
- Sprinkle with a little more salt and contine with the remaining pieces. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Let the chicken soak in the buttermilk marinade overnight for maximum flavor.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch—it’s the secret to that crispy crust.
- Always pat the flour into the chicken so it sticks well before frying.
- Use a thermometer to make sure your oil stays around 350°F for even cooking.
- Place cooked chicken on a wire rack, not paper towels, so it stays crispy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan—fry in batches so the oil temperature stays steady.
Nutrition
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This was so much fun to make and tasted even better than it looks.