Buttermilk-Brined Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs

This oven-fried chicken delivers an audibly crunchy crust without a drop of deep-fry oil splattered across your stovetop. The secret is a quick buttermilk soak that tenderizes the meat while a seasoned flour-and-cornstarch dredge bakes up shatteringly crisp on a wire rack. It's weeknight comfort food that genuinely competes with the drive-through version.

✨ An original recipe written by AI — not kitchen-tested, so trust your taste on seasoning & timing.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp neutral oil such as avocado or canola

Directions

1. Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl, add chicken thighs, and let them soak at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F and set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet, then brush or drizzle the rack lightly with oil.
3. In a shallow dish, whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
4. Lift each thigh from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then press firmly into the dredge on all sides and shake off any loose flour.
5. Arrange coated chicken skin-side up on the prepared rack and drizzle the tops evenly with the remaining oil.
6. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes until the crust is deep golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone reads 165°F.
7. Let the chicken rest on the rack for 5 minutes before serving so the crust stays crisp all the way to the table.

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