These Spicy, Fried Chicken Drumsticks have a super crispy skin, are extra juicy, and loaded with flavor. The perfect fried chicken recipe for your next picnic!
What's better than fried chicken? Spicy fried chicken drumsticks!
The first time my husband, Jon, met my family was over a fried chicken dinner. We had just started dating and were coming back from a camping trip in Southern Illinois, passing through my childhood hometown on our way back to Chicago. It was a hot Midwestern July day – the air all thick and sticky, hanging about us like a blanket. My Mom served fried chicken for the meal, which only added to the heat.
Jon was truly in the hot seat. I have 3 brothers and sisters, and all were positioned around the table, peppering him with questions. What do you do? Where are you from? What do you like? It’s a wonder he was able to get any bites in throughout this inquisition.
This was a test of sorts. My siblings and I are all very close and for anyone to really have a shot with me, they have to make it with them first. This can be tough. We are a sarcastic and jabbing bunch sometimes, always looking for a laugh (a good-humored laugh, but still). Over time, as we all became accustomed to the heat, I realized that Jon wasn’t shying away from the conversation. Rather, he was actually joining in, and throwing a few punches of his own. It’s then that I realized that this guy was a serious contender – not just for me, but for my family too.
I also realized at that dinner that Jon loooves fried chicken. (Come to think of it, my Mom’s fried chicken may be one of the things that propelled our relationship forward….hmmm…..).
So, thinking back to those early days, I whipped up a batch for dinner last night. This recipe adds a bit of heat to your normal fried chicken. Not to worry – for those who are not spice addicts, like me, it’s not too hot (my kids ate it and were fine). Wondering how to make this delicious chicken recipe? Let's dive in.
Key Ingredients
Fried chicken is a super easy dish to make with only a handful of simple ingredients and a frying pan.
- Chicken drumsticks, or chicken legs. I used drumsticks for this recipe, but tbh, you can use whatever pieces of chicken you like and it will work just fine.
- Buttermilk, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper. This will serve as your spicy marinade. Soaking the chicken in buttermilk helps to tenderize the chicken, adds great flavor, and also helps the batter stick to the chicken, making a super crispy coating. If you really can't handle spice, feel free to omit the hot sauce and cayenne.
- All-purpose flour. This, mixed with a few spices (garlic powder and paprika) creates a super crispy coating for the chicken.
- Peanut oil. You can use other oils instead of peanut oil but I love the the taste. Whatever oil you choose, make sure you use one with a high smoke point, as you'll be getting it quite hot to fry the chicken.
- Parsley flakes and serrano pepper. These add a great garnish to the dish, and if you haven't had enough spice yet with the marinade had the paprika, the serrano peppers will get you there.
How To Make These Spicy Fried Chicken Drumsticks
Making fried chicken can feel a little intimidating because of the hot oil, but don't let it deter you. It just takes a bit of patience and a careful eye. Here's how to do it.
- Make the marinade. Make the marinade for the chicken by combining the buttermilk, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Marinate the chicken. Wash and pat dry the chicken legs, then season them with salt and pepper. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the chicken and cover completely. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Make the spicy flour mixture. Make a spicy flour mixture by combining flour, garlic, paprika, and more cayenne pepper in a bowl.
- Dredge the chicken. Once the chicken drumsticks have marinated, dredge them, one at a time, in the flour mixture.
- Fry the chicken. Add a 1 inch layer of peanut oil to a deep pan over medium-high heat and allow it to get hot. Carefully, working in small batches, fry the chicken. This should take about 15 minutes, or until the chicken has a nice golden brown crispy skin.
- Rest. When your chicken is done frying, place it on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, or on a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Keep the fried chicken in a warmed oven or a warming drawer while you fry the rest of the chicken.
- Serve hot! Serve the chicken while it's still hot. For those of you who love spice, you may want to add some Serrano pepper as a garnish. It goes great with the chicken and gives it that extra kick I was looking for. We had this with fresh green beans sautéed in a bit of oil and garlic, and some crusty bread and the whole meal was very tasty. This chicken would also go great alongside potato salad, cheesy mashed potatoes, or a big green salad.
Variations And Substitutions
This crispy fried chicken drumsticks recipe is incredibly versatile. Here are some ways to change it up.
- Try different cuts of chicken. While drumsticks are a great option, you can also use chicken thighs, whole chicken legs, or even wings. For the crispiest skin, make sure to pat the chicken dry before coating it.
- Oven-fried drumsticks. If you want a healthier option, try oven-fried drumsticks. Place coated chicken drumsticks on a wire rack over a baking sheet, spray them lightly with olive oil or vegetable oil, and bake at 425°F for about 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Air-Fryer Chicken Drumsticks. For a less oil-heavy alternative, use an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 375°F, place the drumsticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and cook for 10-15 minutes per side, or until golden brown with an internal temperature of 180°F.
- Change up the breading. Swap out the flour mixture for seasoned flour mixed with bread crumbs or panko for extra crunch - this works best if you're baking or air frying the chicken.
- Choose a different oil. Peanut oil is a great choice due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor, but canola oil, vegetable oil, or even avocado oil can work well for deep frying. Again, just make sure whatever oil you choose has a high smoke point.
- Add extra spice. Want even more heat? Increase the cayenne pepper, add chili powder to the dry ingredients, or mix a bit of hot sauce into the egg mixture for an extra spicy kick.
- No buttermilk? No problem. The buttermilk marinade is key for tender meat, but if you don’t have buttermilk, mix whole milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar as a substitute.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best results come from properly drying your chicken before coating it in seasoned flour. Also, frying at the right temperature of the oil (350°F) ensures a crispy golden brown crust without being greasy.
Yes! To reheat, place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F until heated through. This helps retain its crispy skin.
Store any leftover crispy chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To keep the crispy texture, reheat in an oven or air fryer instead of a microwave. (Or, just eat it cold - I LOVE cold fried chicken straight from the fridge!)
Peanut oil is the best option due to its high smoke point and flavor. Canola oil and vegetable oil will also work.
A tricky part about frying chicken is getting the temperature of the oil just right—you want it hot enough to cook the chicken through without burning the crispy coating. Use a thermometer to track the temp of your oil (it should be 350 degrees F.) and use an instant-read thermometer to check the chicken's internal temperature. It should read at least 180°F for fried chicken legs.
Absolutely! A deep cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven works well. Just ensure you add enough oil to submerge at least half of the piece of chicken and maintain the oil temperature throughout cooking.
If the oil temperature is too low, the chicken absorbs more oil. Use a meat thermometer to keep the oil temperature at 350°F for the crispiest results.
Yes, buttermilk helps tenderize the meat, but a beaten egg mixed with a bit of hot sauce can help the flour mixture adhere just as well.
I love pairing this chicken with potato salad, Boursin mashed potatoes, baked beans, coleslaw, or a simple green salad.
Yes, (and thank God because peanut oil is expensive!). But be sure to strain out any leftover breading bits and store the oil in an airtight container. Use it within a few days for best results.
My husband and kids devoured this chicken. I think it’s a keeper and who knows – maybe years from now I’ll be serving this up to my own future daughter-in-law.
Did you try these Spicy Fried Chicken Drumsticks? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Then tag me on Instagram @frontrangefed with your creation!
More Chicken Recipes!
- Chicken Mole Tacos
- Curried Chicken Salad
- Mediterranean Grilled Chicken
- Weeknight Rotisserie Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches
- Easy White Chicken Chili In The Crockpot
- Shrimp And Chicken Stirfry
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs With Gnocchi
Recipe
Spicy Fried Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 10 chicken drumsticks
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 qt buttermilk
- 1 tbsp hot sauce I like Franks Red Hot Sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- peanut oil for frying
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish
- 1 chopped serrano pepper (seeds removed) for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken drumsticks and pat them dry. Place them in a large casserole dish.
- Salt and pepper each side of the chicken.
- Mix the buttermilk, hot sauce, and ½ Tablespoon Cayenne pepper together in a large bowl. (Feel free to add extra hot sauce if you love the heat.)
- Pour the buttermilk mixture over the chicken, cover, and let sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Use a large, deep pan, or a fryer pot to heat the oil. Heat oil to 350° F.
- While your oil and oven are warming up, mix the flour, garlic, paprika, and remaining cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge and begin dredging each drumstick in the flour mixture. (I did this in batches, about 3 or so at a time).
- Fry the chicken in batches for about 15 minutes per batch, or until the chicken is a nice golden color. The internal temperature of your chicken should be about 180° F.
- Once the chicken is done, place it on a paper towel-lined pan and cover to keep warm (or place them in a warming drawer if you have one.)
- Before serving, garnish the chicken with the parsley and Serrano peppers, if desired. (Be careful with the peppers – they are fairly hot. Make sure to wash your hands after handling!
Notes
Nutrition
LaCayla says
Why does the one step say while the oil and oven are heating? Was I supposed to be using the oven?
Sarah Jenkins says
no! im so sorry and thank you for the catch. will update that.