Recipe: Silky smooth buttermilk sauce crispy fried chicken

Not all fried chicken was created equal and there is a reason this is one of Asian Food Network's most popular recipes.

At 30 minutes, it is really quick to prepare and the flavours are unbelievable for a recipe this simple.

Asian fragrances ooze all over and drip off golden brown perfectly fried chicken. One you taste it piping hot, you won't look at fried chicken the same again.

Fried chicken can be elevated to have different flavours with the addition of other components such as vegetables, spices, and sauces. Our buttermilk chicken recipe takes the basic fried chicken and turns things up a notch with a flavourful buttermilk sauce. 

The tantalising aroma of Asian fragrances from ingredients such as curry leaves, paired with perfectly fried golden-brown chicken drenched in a buttery sauce, will change your perspective of fried chicken.

Ingredients

• Serves 2 people
• 250 g cut chicken (cut into thick cubes)
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup condensed milk
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 chili padi (bird's eye chili)
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp corn flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• Water
• Vegetable oil
• Salt
• White pepper

Instructions

1) Marinate chicken

• In a bowl, mix chicken cubes, ½ tbsp salt, and 1 tbsp white pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar until evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for an hour.
• After marinating, crack an egg into the chicken mixture and mix well.

2) Mix flour together

• In separate bowl, combine ¼ cup corn flour with ¼ cup rice flour.
• Dip the marinated chicken pieces into the flour mixture until coated and dust off any excess flour.
• To save time and add flavour, you can marinate the chicken one day in advance.

3) Fry the chicken

• Place a deep pan over high heat and heat up enough oil to fry the chicken.
• Fry the chicken pieces for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through and is golden brown on all sides.

4) Fry butter, garlic and chili padi

• In a separate pan on medium-high heat, fry 1 tbsp unsalted butter, chopped garlic and chopped chili padi for 1 minute until fragrant.
• You can adjust the spiciness level of this dish by adding or removing the amount of chili padi, or just chop chili padi into smaller pieces.

5) Make buttermilk sauce and cook chicken

• Add curry leaves and fry until fragrant before adding 1 cup of evaporated milk and ¼ cup condensed milk. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water in a cup before pouring it into the pan. Stir well until the buttermilk sauce thickens.
• When the buttermilk sauce thickens, remove the pan from the heat and add the crispy fried chicken. Mix thoroughly so that the chicken is well coated with the savoury sauce.

Plate and serve!

Transfer the buttermilk chicken onto a serving plate and serve it while it is piping hot.

Frequently Asked Questions about Buttermilk Chicken

• Can I roast or bake the chicken instead?
  Instead of frying the chicken, you can choose to bake, roast, or broil the chicken pieces. If baking or roasting, ensure that the chicken pieces are browned and scorched at parts. This will give the dish a nice colour, and the scorched parts will give the chicken a nice bite.
• Are there other meat substitutes?
  The buttermilk sauce is extremely versatile and can be poured over almost everything. Seafood is a popular substitute. Fish and prawns are great alternatives that will complement the buttermilk sauce. Cook them the same way you would the chicken and drench them in the sauce right after.
• Can I store the dish in the refrigerator overnight?
  Be sure to store the buttermilk sauce and the chicken separately. Fried chicken tends to lose its crispiness when stored in a refrigerator. Therefore, you can either choose to re-fry the chicken the next day or store the marinated chicken as is and fry only when ready to serve. The sauce can be reheated in a pan over medium-high heat - add water to it if it has gotten thick.

Tips & Tricks to Prepare Buttermilk Chicken

• Marinate the meat overnight: To add more flavour to the chicken, you can marinate the chicken one day in advance. This will save time and allow the chicken to soak up the seasoning, infusing every piece of meat with flavour. Marinating the meat overnight also tenderizes the chicken, so every piece will taste juicy and delicious.
• Double the gravy: Take comfort food to another level. Make an extra batch of gravy so that it can be served over side dishes such as mashed potatoes.
• Tweak the dish to your taste and preference: The beauty of such a simple dish lies in its adaptability. Want the dish to be spicier? Add in more chili padi. Prefer the buttermilk sauce to be thicker? Add in more cornstarch and cook down the sauce until it is more viscous.

Asian Food Network