Fried chicken is a popular dish in many parts of the world and most people lover tenderising their chicken with buttermilk, this is because it is slightly acidic as compared to other tenderisers like vinegar or lemon. Therefore you are guaranteed that the fried chicken will be juicy and tender. However, because most people love using buttermilk to tenderise their chicken you might come across a situation whereby your local store will be in short supply of buttermilk but this shouldn’t stop you from preparing your favourite recipe of fried chicken you should always look for substitutes. The article below highlights some of the most common ingredients that you can use to substitute buttermilk in fried chicken.
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Substitute buttermilk with milk and lemon juice in fried chicken
When you want to make fried chicken and you do not have buttermilk in your kitchen you can use milk and lemon juice to substitute buttermilk. Although lemon is known to be a tenderiser on its own it leaves the meat a bit dry thus, if used in combination with milk it will leave your meat juicy while at the same time tenderising it. When you use milk and lemon juice to substitute buttermilk in fried chicken you will get results that are similar to that of using buttermilk. If you are lactose intolerant you can use plant based type if milks like almond milk then mix them with lemon juice. In order to substitute 1 cup of buttermilk using milk and lemon you need to add one tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of milk, stir the 2 ingredient together and let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. You will start to notice that lemon juice curdles the milk a little bit.
Substitute buttermilk with milk and vinegar in fried chicken
White vinegar can be mixed with milk to form a substitute for buttermilk in fried chicken. Vinegar is acidic in nature so it will really give the milk a little bit of that acidic feel that is found in buttermilk. When trying out this recipe you can use any vinegar of your choice for example distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. In order to substitute buttermilk using the stated ingredients you need to mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk. Leave the 2 ingredients at room temperature for about 10 minutes you will notice that the vinegar curdles the milk slightly, this is because vinegar is acidic in nature.
Substitute buttermilk with milk and plain yoghurt in fried chicken
Plain yoghurt has an acidic taste to it so it can be used in combination with milk to act as a substitute of buttermilk in fried chicken. In order to make a substitute for buttermilk you need to whisk the yoghurt and milk together until they form a thick consistency which is similar to that of buttermilk. To make 1 cup that will act as a substitute of buttermilk you have to combine ¾ cup of yoghurt plus ¼ cup of milk. However it is important to know that these measurements may vary depending on the thickness of the yoghurt so in some instances you might need to reduce the amount of yoghurt or simply add more milk.
Substitute buttermilk with sour cream and milk in fried chicken
Sour cream has an acidic taste to it so when used in combination with milk it will act as a good substitute for buttermilk in fried chicken. To make 1 cup of buttermilk substitute you need to add ¾ cup of sour cream with ¼ cup of milk. Whisk the 2 ingredients together until they form the consistency of buttermilk. However, the quantities used may vary slightly based on how thick the sour cream is, so if you fail to achieve the consistency of buttermilk with the stipulated measurements you might need to add more milk if the mixture is too thick.
Substitute buttermilk with coconut milk in fried chicken
If you happen to have coconut milk in your kitchen then you can simply use it as a substitute of buttermilk in fried chicken. Coconut milk is slightly acidic so it can work as a substitute of buttermilk when tenderising chicken. However, when using coconut milk as a substitute it is important to know that it can add a tropical flavour to the fried chicken.
Substitute buttermilk with cream of tartar and milk in fried chicken
Cream of tartar is an acid therefore when used as a substitute for buttermilk in fried chicken it will add an acidic taste to the milk which is similar to the one found in buttermilk. When substituting buttermilk in fried chicken using cream of tartar first mix 1 ¾ teaspoons of cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of milk until they form a loose paste, this will prevent the cream of tartar from forming lumps. When you are done add approximately 1 cup of milk to that paste then your buttermilk substitute will be ready.
Substitute buttermilk with kefir in fried chicken
When you can’t find buttermilk you can simply buy kefir and use it to substitute buttermilk in fried chicken. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is very similar to drinkable yoghurt. Its consistency is very similar to that of buttermilk and the flavour of kefir mimics that of buttermilk perfectly. When substituting buttermilk in fried chicken for kefir simply use the same quantities that the recipe requires for buttermilk. However, if you are not satisfied with the thickness of kefir and you feel that it’s a bit thicker than buttermilk you can simply add a splash of milk.
Conclusion
Finding a substitute for buttermilk in fried chicken is not a cumbersome thing to do since you will discover that most of the ingredients used to make the substitutes are things that you commonly used for cooking. The article has noted a number of substitutes which include using milk and vinegar or lemon, cream of tartar, plain yoghurt, coconut milk and also kefir. For most of the stated substitutes for buttermilk in fried chicken, the article has noted the various measurements which you can use.
