Fried Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Prep: 20 mins + overnight Cook: 60 mins Servings: 5 See recipe card for live cost
Anne Rose
This fried chicken drumsticks recipe is the extra crispy, shatteringly crunchy buttermilk version I make when I want restaurant fried chicken at home — a cold beer batter, Tabasco salt, and a chef's triple-fry.
The method comes from David Chang's Momofuku fried chicken: an overnight buttermilk brine, a low first fry that actually cooks the meat, then hot, fast beer-batter fries that stack crunch on crunch. It is not a 20-minute weeknight — it is the weekend project that sounds like a potato chip when you bite it.
Walked through on Danny Kim on YouTube (DannyGrubs). Watch the short there, then use the card below for 5-serving quantities.
All dishes are made and tested by Anne Rose. Click here to learn more.
How Long to Fry Chicken Drumsticks
For this triple-fry method: 12–15 minutes at 300–325°F on the first fry, until the thickest part hits 175°F and the crust is pale golden. Rest 10 minutes. Then each extra fry is about 3 minutes at 350–375°F. Total active fry time is roughly 18–21 minutes, not counting rests.
A single fry at high heat browns the outside before the bone-in meat is done. The low first fry cooks the drumstick through; the hot fries only build crust. Use a thermometer on both the oil and the chicken — that temperature switch is the whole recipe.
Why Double Fry Chicken
Double frying (and this triple fry) works because you separate “cook the meat” from “build the crust.” The first fry at 300–325°F drives moisture out of the dredge and gets the chicken safely done. Resting lets steam escape so the next coat can cling. Each hotter fry adds another layer of crunch instead of steaming the first one.
The beer batter
After the dry first fry, whisk cold light beer (lager or pilsner) into reserved flour-and-cornstarch until it is as thick as pancake batter. Cold carbonation puffs in the hot oil and gives you that wet-batter shatter. Keep the beer in the fridge until you mix. Club soda or a non-alcoholic lager works if you want to skip the alcohol.
Extra Crispy, Triple-Fried
Overnight buttermilk brine, a low first fry to 175°F, then two hot beer-batter fries and Tabasco salt — shatteringly crispy fried chicken drumsticks.
- Prep Time 20 mins + overnight
- Cook Time 60 mins
- Servings 5
- Cost / Serving See card
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My Kitchen Tools
These are the tools I use and love to make this recipe (and life in the kitchen!) easier. You don't need any fancy equipment—just a few favorites that make a big difference!
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Recommended
Dutch Oven
A heavy pot holds 2–3 quarts of oil at a steady temperature — that’s what keeps the crust crisp instead of greasy.
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Optional
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
One for the brine, one for the dredge, one for the batter — keep them lined up so the fry station stays clean.
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Optional
Stainless Steel Whisks
Whisk the brine until the salt dissolves and the beer batter until it looks like pancake batter — no flour lumps.
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Dinner Made Easy
Recipe Title
Cost: $0.00 recipe / $0.00 serving
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
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Nutrition Information
Serving:
Calories:
Serving Suggestions
Serve the drumsticks hot, right after the Tabasco salt. Copycat Raising Cane's sauce, pickles, or a simple slaw all work. The optional cold caviar is a temperature contrast, not a required garnish.
Storing & Reheating
Cool leftovers within about an hour, store in an airtight container, and use within 3–4 days. The crust is best the night you fry it.
Reheat on a rack in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 8–10 minutes so the crust recrisps. Don’t microwave — the batter steams. Freeze cooked pieces up to a month; reheat from frozen in a hot oven.
Substitution Tips and Recommendations from Our Audience
This fried chicken drumsticks recipe is built to flex — here are the swaps that work especially well:
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Swap the cut: Bone-in thighs use the same brine and fry temps — add a couple of minutes on the first fry if they are thick.
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No beer? Use cold club soda or a non-alcoholic lager. You still want the carbonation for a puffy crust.
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No Tabasco? Any vinegar hot sauce works for the salt, or mix a little cayenne into kosher salt.
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Potato starch: Swap it 1:1 for the cornstarch in the dredge if you want an even lighter, glassier crunch.
Frequently Asked Q's
Quick answers on how long to fry chicken drumsticks, why the triple-fry works, and what to use instead of beer.
Q: How long to fry chicken drumsticks?
First fry 12–15 minutes at 300–325°F, until 175°F inside. Rest 10 minutes. Each extra fry is about 3 minutes at 350–375°F. Total active fry time is roughly 18–21 minutes.
Q: Why triple-fry instead of one fry?
The low first fry cooks the meat through. The hotter beer-batter fries stack crunch without burning the outside before the bone-in drumstick is done.
Q: What can I use instead of beer in the batter?
Cold club soda or a non-alcoholic lager. Keep it cold so the batter puffs when it hits the oil.
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