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Cast Iron Skillet Buttermilk Light Fried Chicken
5 from 39 votes

Cast Iron Skillet Buttermilk Light Fried Chicken

This recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Buttermilk Light Fried Chicken features chicken breasts marinated in buttermilk and Tabasco for flavor and tenderness. The chicken is coated in a mixture of flour and crushed saltine crackers to form a crisp crust and pan-seared in butter before finishing in the oven. This method yields a golden, crunchy exterior and juicy interior without deep frying.

Prep Time
8 hrs
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
8 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 413 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk low-fat
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 4 chicken breast skinned, bone-in, halves
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup saltine crackers I have tried unsalted ones, trust me, use regular, ground
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • canola oil spray

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the buttermilk and tabasco sauce in a bowl or ziploc bag with the chicken and marinate for at least 4 hours (I marinate overnight but even if you toss it together before heading out to work it will be PERFECT when you get home at night).
  2. Preheat oven to 425º F.
  3. Combine flour and saltine crumbs in a shallow dish.
  4. Take chicken out of buttermilk mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper (mostly on the top side since there isn't much in the way of meat on the bone-y side.
  5. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess; set aside.
  6. Really press the top of the chicken into the mixture to get a nice crust on top.
  7. Melt butter in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  8. Add chicken to pan, meat side down and cook 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Spray the bone-y side quickly with canola oil spray so that it can crisp up in the oven too once we turn it over.
  10. Turn chicken over, and bake at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through.
  11. You don't cook the bone-y side of the chicken on your stovetop, so don't worry about the butter all being gone by the time the top is cooked.

Notes

  • Marinate chicken in buttermilk and Tabasco for at least 4 hours or overnight for best tenderness and flavor.
  • Use regular salted saltine crackers ground finely for the coating to enhance crust flavor.
  • Press chicken into flour and cracker mixture firmly to create a thick crust.
  • Spray the bone side with canola oil before baking to crisp that side evenly.
  • Finish cooking in a preheated 425°F oven for 30-35 minutes to ensure juiciness and crispness.

Nutrition Information

Calories 413kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 43g (86%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Cholesterol 148mg (49%) Sodium 895mg (37%) Potassium 786mg (17%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 432IU (9%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 82mg (8%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 413

% Daily Value*

Calories 413kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 43g 86%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 148mg 49%
Sodium 895mg 37%
Potassium 786mg 17%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 432IU 9%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 82mg 8%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.