This gluten free spicy fried chicken is packed full of flavor and has the perfect crispy crunch. It’s soaked in hot sauce spiked buttermilk and fried in a gluten free flour and corn meal crust. Trust me, it’s the new gluten free fried chicken of your Southern dreams.
Have I ever talked about my love for fried chicken? My dad makes the BEST fried chicken in all the world. It has the perfect crispy to juicy ratio and just the right salty bite.
I have tried and tried to make my dads fried chicken but every single time it just doesn’t turn out the same. That’s why when I’m home I just make him make it for me. With a big side of mashed potatoes and corn on the side. I don’t care what time of the year it is, you cannot have fried chicken without mashed potatoes and corn. Oh and the corn has to be served on top of the potatoes.
It’s a rule.
However, this fried chicken is NOTHING like my dads but just as delicious. I decided since I cannot recreate my dads chicken I will just make my own. This version is gluten free and full of spicy flavor. I used my favorite gluten free flour blend from Pamela’s and mixed it with some fine ground yellow corn meal. I also used hot sauce in the buttermilk marinade – Why? Because spice rules.
I also threw in a lot of smoked paprika because I still cannot live without it. I swear this obsession will never go away.
If you’re staring at your screen thinking to yourself “Gluten free? I’m not sure…” stop freaking out. I served this meal to husband and asked him what he thought. His response “It was good…why?” Me: “Ha! It’s gluten free! I bet you didn’t even know!” To which he replied “Nope. Tasted normal to me.” You know what that means? Stop being scared of gluten free flour. It’s awesome and tastes just as good as your standard all purpose. Plus it opens up delicious fried chicken to all your gluten free family members. They will LOVE you for this!
Now, if frying chicken freaks you out I have a few simple ideas that could make it easier:
1. Fry the chicken outside in your outdoor kitchen. What? You’re not Paula Deen? You could always use one of those little side burners that come on grills. Or maybe a little induction burner.
2. Open up all the windows, turn on the oven hood and just hope your house doesn’t smell like fried food afterwords.
3. Don’t open your windows (because it’s summer and it’s freaking hot) and instead just light a thousand candles and make you house smell like a Yankee Candle store. It does a great job at masking the scent.
4. Throw caution to the wind and just fry the damn chicken. It will be worth it.
Gluten Free Spicy Fried Chicken
This gluten free spicy fried chicken is packed full of flavor and has the perfect crispy crunch. It's soaked in Tabasco spiked buttermilk and fried in a gluten free flour and corn meal crust. Trust me, it's the new gluten free fried chicken of your Southern dreams.
Yield: 6 drumsticks
Prep Time: 15 minutes plus marinading time
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes plus marinading time
Ingredients:
6 chicken drumsticks, with the skin
2 cup buttermilk
10 shakes hot sauce
1 cup Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil
Directions:
In a large bowl add drumsticks.
In a large measuring cup add buttermilk and hot sauce sauce. Stir to combine and pour over chicken. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2 hours.
When you ready to fry your chicken start your flour mixture.
In a shallow dish (I use a 9x9 pan) stir together gluten free flour blend, corn meal, kosher salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
In a large skillet add 1/2 inch vegetable oil and start heating it over medium high heat.
Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture and coat thoroughly in flour mixture. Set floured chicken aside until all chicken has been floured.
Once the oil is hot add the chicken and cook 7 minutes per side.
The small sides (you know like the left and right of the drumstick) cook for 3-4 minutes.
Once fully cooked remove from the pan and add to a wire rack lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle with additional kosher salt and let cool slightly before serving.
Serve with hot sauce and a cold beer.
Note: How to check if your oil is ready - You should see ripples in the oil but it should not be smoking. You can test the oil by sprinkling a little flour into the pan. If it sizzles right away the oil is ready.