Buttermilk Fried 'Chicken'

Buttermilk Fried 'Chicken'

Honestly, this is one of those recipes we are genuinely proud of. Crispy, golden, ridiculously satisfying fried 'chicken' made entirely from plants, and when we say people can't tell the difference, we mean it. The buttermilk marinade does something magical to the mushrooms, making them juicy on the inside with that proper crunchy coating on the outside. It's the kind of thing you want on a Friday night when you just need something a bit indulgent and totally delicious. Trust us; make this tonight.

Cook: 20 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Cashew milk and plant-based yoghurt combined & whisked, rested 5 minutes
  • Mushrooms marinated in fridge for 2-3 hours
  • Large bowl for marinating
  • Wide heavy-based pan for frying
  • Shallow bowl for flour mixture
  • Tongs
  • Clean kitchen paper

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 200ml cashew milk
  • 100ml plant-based yoghurt - ideally cashew based, needs to be thick
  • 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 500g oyster mushrooms
  • 150g plain flour
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • vegetable oil for frying

Method

1

Make the marinade

  • Combine the cashew milk, yoghurt, lemon juice and salt, whisk well to incorporate. Allow to rest for 5 minutes
  • Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with the buttermilk marinade. Allow to rest in the fridge for 2-3 hours
2

Heat up the oil

  • Place approximately 2cm of vegetable oil in a wide heavy-based pan and place over a medium heat
  • Test the oil is hot enough by placing a cube of bread in the oil, it should brown quickly
3

Make the flour mix

  • Combine the flour, black pepper, cayenne, paprika and garlic powder in a bowl and mix well
4

Coat and cook the mushrooms

  • Remove the mushrooms from the fridge
  • Place each mushroom in the flour mixture and toss well until very well coated with oil. Repeat with all the remaining mushrooms
  • Place the mushrooms in one layer in the pan (this may need to be done in batches), be careful not to crowd the pan
  • Cook the mushrooms for approximately 8 -10 minutes, using tongs to turn regularly
  • They should be golden brown on the outside. If the oil is getting too hot and starting to smoke decrease the temperature
  • Remove from the pan and place on clean kitchen paper to remove any excess oil
5

Time to serve

  • Serve immediately with a side of chips and ketchup. NOM.

Tips & Variations

  • Nail the oil temperature: Don't skip the bread cube test. If it doesn't sizzle and turn golden pretty quickly, your oil isn't ready and you'll end up with greasy rather than crispy coating. Worth the extra minute of waiting, every time.
  • Marinate overnight: We love making this the night before and leaving the mushrooms in the buttermilk in the fridge overnight. The flavour goes even deeper and the texture is incredible. Future you will be very grateful.
  • Serve it right: Henry always piles these into a brioche bun with some slaw and hot sauce for a proper burger moment. Ian tends to go straight for them with a dipping sauce and no shame whatsoever. Both are valid.

Why This Works

The trick here is the buttermilk marinade. Letting the mushrooms sit in that cashew milk, yoghurt and lemon mixture for a good few hours means they soak up all that flavour and the coating really sticks when it hits the hot oil. We find that patience at this stage makes all the difference between good and absolutely brilliant.