Hey there fried chicken lovers—this speedy fried chicken recipe is a fun, springy way to enjoy one of your favorite Southern dishes.
Juicy, skin-on chicken thighs start off skin-side down in a cast-iron skillet with a little butter, which helps them get wonderfully crispy before they’re sent to the oven to finish cooking with a generous scatter of peppery spring radishes.
Buy fresh radishes with their greens if you can—they sauté up quickly in the flavorful chicken drippings and taste divine with a splash of vinegar and a little drizzle of local honey.
Ingredients
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4 ( 8-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
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1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
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3/4 cup all-purpose flour
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1/2 tsp. black pepper
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1 cup whole buttermilk
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1 lb. radishes with greens
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2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
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1 Tbsp. olive oil
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3 garlic cloves , smashed
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2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
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1 tsp. honey
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1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano , plus more leaves for garnish
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Flaky sea salt
Directions
Turnip the Volume
Not a radish fan? Prepare the recipe as directed, substituting 1 pound peeled baby turnips with greens. Halve or quarter any larger turnips, if needed.
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Preheat oven to 425°F.
Sprinkle chicken thighs with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Whisk together flour, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a shallow dish. Place buttermilk in a separate shallow dish.
Working with 1 piece at a time, dip chicken in buttermilk, turning to fully coat; place chicken in flour mixture, turning to coat. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, and set aside.
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Cut greens from radishes; roughly chop greens, and cut radishes in half. Keep radishes and greens separate; set aside.
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Melt butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high; add oil. Add chicken thighs to skillet, skin side down; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken thighs, and arrange radishes and garlic around chicken thighs; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven, stirring radishes and garlic halfway through bake time, until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Transfer chicken to a plate using a slotted spatula. Heat radish mixture in skillet over medium-high. Stir in chopped radish greens, vinegar, honey, and oregano; cook, stirring constantly, until greens are wilted, about 1 minute.
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Return chicken to skillet, skin side up. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, pepper, and oregano.