The Buffalo Recipe

Prep the chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken. If using larger breasts, cut into 6–8 equal strips. Pat dry with paper towels.

Marinate briefly

Place the chicken in a bowl and pour the buttermilk and 1 tsp hot sauce (optional) over it. Toss to coat and let sit 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour in the refrigerator. This tenderizes and helps the coating adhere.

Make the dry mix

In a shallow dish combine the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, 1.5 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Dredge

Remove chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge pieces thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the surface. Shake off excess and place on a wire rack for 5 minutes to set.

Fry until golden

Pour oil into a large skillet to reach about 1/4 inch depth and heat over medium-high until it registers 350°F (175°C) or a pinch of flour sizzles on contact. Fry chicken in batches so pieces don’t touch: 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain. If pieces are thick and not fully cooked, finish in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 5–8 minutes.

Optional oven crisp

For extra-even crispness, after initial fry and draining, lightly spray with neutral oil and bake 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C) until crisp.

Make the sauce while chicken fries. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Add 1/2 cup hot sauce, 1 tsp honey (if using), 1/2 tsp vinegar, 1/4 tsp Worcestershire, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk while warming until butter fully emulsifies into the hot sauce and the mixture is smooth and glossy — about 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or honey for heat balance. Keep warm.

Toss chicken in sauce: place drained fried chicken in a large bowl. Pour warmed buffalo sauce over the chicken, then gently toss with tongs to coat each piece evenly. Work quickly so the coating remains crisp but gets glossy buffalo coverage.

Make the blue cheese dressing: in a small bowl combine 3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, 1 tbs milk, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mash some of the blue cheese with the back of a spoon for a creamier texture while leaving some chunks for texture. Adjust thickness with additional milk 1 tsp at a time to reach a dipping consistency.

Plate and garnish: arrange the buffalo-coated chicken on a platter or individual plates. Sprinkle 2 tbs extra blue cheese crumbles and 1 tsp chopped parsley over the top. Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.