Our homemade Smoked Buttermilk Fried Chicken is going to officially blow your mind. Fried chicken lovers don’t know what they’re missing until they’ve tried chicken that’s been smoked before hitting the oil. I love doing chicken this way, and so will you when you bite in!
Smoked Buttermilk Fried Chicken
In the beginning, there was a chicken. Not an egg. That would be a different recipe. In this recipe, we take your traditional fried chicken two steps further and brine it in buttermilk overnight before letting it hit the smoker for several hours until the chicken is smoked and cooked. Then, the chicken gets refrigerated before hitting the breading mixture and frying it to golden brown, crispy, and perfect chicken.
You get another layer of flavor when you add smoke to the mix, and your chicken is easier to fry because the meat is already cooked. You only need to crisp up that breading, and you’ll bite into perfectly cooked chicken before you know it!
More Easy Traeger Recipes here!
Smoked Fried Chicken shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken pieces
- Buttermilk
- Hot sauce
- Salt
- Granulated garlic
- Pepper
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Mustard powder
- Ground thyme
- Paprika
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Peanut oil
- Butter
More Chicken Recipes to enjoy!
How to make Smoked Fried Chicken
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Brine
Mix the brine ingredients and submerge your chicken pieces. Brine overnight in the fridge.
Drain the buttermilk and pat the chicken dry.
2
Smoke
Place the chicken into your smoker that’s been preheated to 225°F. Smoke for around 2 hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160°F.
3
Chill
Once the internal temp is reached, remove it from the smoker and chill for several hours.
4
Bread & Fry
Mix up the breading and the batter following the directions on the recipe card. Preheat the oil in a large cast iron fry pan and get it to 350°F while you bread the chicken.
Fry until golden brown. Remove it from the oil and let it drain on a wire rack.
5
Enjoy
Let the chicken cool for a few minutes before biting into it!
Try our Smoked and Fried Chicken Wings too!
Tips for great fried chicken
When you get to the frying portion of this recipe, keep in mind a few of these tips for getting the fry just right.
Fry at a higher temp than you normally would cook fried chicen
Of course, this is a bit different than regular fried chicken. With buttermilk smoked chicken, your chicken is almost cooked already. Therefore, you can use a slightly higher temperature to brown up the batter coating.
Ordinarily, you fry chicken at about 335°. However, you can fry at 350° with smoked chicken since you don’t need as much time in the oil. The meat is already cooked. Getting the batter nice and brown without overcooking the meat is the goal.
Don’t skimp on the brine time
If you can, let the meat brine in the buttermilk brine for two whole days. It is worth the wait.
Use the right oil
Make sure to use the right oil for the job. Oils with higher burn points like peanut, avocado, and canola oil work best.
Drain on a rack
When you pull pieces out of the oil, don’t set them on a plate or paper towel. Set them on a wire rack above a baking sheet. That way, the steam escapes without getting the crunchy batter exterior soggy. It also permits all the excess oil to drip off quickly and easily.
You get a nice piece of fried chicken all around!
Keep warm in the oven
Keep the pieces of fried smoked chicken in the oven at 225°F. It will keep the chicken warm enough while you cook the rest. The exterior will stay crispy too.
Double-dredge your chicken and use highly seasoned flour. If you want a bit of kick, then add some cayenne powder into the flour along with salt and pepper. The double dredge technique gives you extra crispy chicken.
Put the smoked chicken into flour, then through the egg wash, back into the seasoned flour. Then, do it all over again.
Try our Crispy Smoked Chicken Thighs too!
What are the best sides to serve with fried chicken?
You put the effort into making phenomenal buttermilk batter fried smoked chicken. So, naturally, you will need some perfect sides to accompany it!
This Smothered Green Beans recipe is perfect next to a plate of fried chicken! A big scoop of Traeger Mac and Cheese would add some creamy cheesiness to the mix, too. It plays off of the crunch of the chicken really well! This Coleslaw recipe is one of our favorites and one of the most popular BBQ sides on the site! People rave about it every time we bring it! Another classic side for fried chicken is this Classic Potato Salad recipe. So delicious (and simple!)
Smoked Buttermilk Fried Chicken
This is not your average fried chicken, as before the breading and frying process we are going to infuse the meat with smoke on our pellet grill! Smoked Buttermilk Fried Chicken is going to be one of your favorite things after you taste this crunch crust covering the most delicious smoked chicken you’ve ever had.
Ingredients
Buttermilk Brine
- 4 pounds chicken pieces
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 coarse ground pepper
Breading
- 2 cups ap flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Egg Wash
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Frying oil
- 4-6 cups peanut oil
- 1 stick butter
Instructions
- Combine the buttermilk brine ingredients together and place the chicken inside. Refrigerate overnight.
- Turn your smoker onto "smoke" setting, or 180°. Remove the chicken from the brine, pat off excess with paper towels, and place on the smoker for 2 hours.
- Remove from the smoker and place in the fridge to cool completely.
- Right before you are ready to fry, combine the breading ingredients and set aside. Mix together the eggs and whole milk until fully combined.
- In a large cast-iron skillet, preheat your oil and butter to 350°. Make sure you temp using a thermometer for the best results.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour/breading mixture, and place in a single layer on a clean pan or racks.
- When the oil is heated, fry 2-3 pieces of chicken at a time for about 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown on both sides.
- Temp the chicken to ensure that it is at least 165° at the thickest point, and near the bone. Any pieces that are not full cooked can be finished in the oven at 350° on racks.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 418Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 241mgSodium: 776mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 46g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.