This is my tried-and-true copycat of Outback’s Bloomin’ Fried Chicken and the tangy Bloomin’ Sauce that steals the show. No gimmicks — just a few pantry staples, a simple double-dredge, and careful frying. If you want that crunchy, slightly spicy crust and a creamy sauce that brightens every bite, this recipe will get you there on the first try.
I developed this version to be approachable: clear steps, predictable timing, and a resting station so the breading stays put. I test small batches so you can follow the same tempo at home. Read through the shopping list and the tips — they’ll save you a re-fry or two.
Shopping List
Shop for only what’s listed below. Buy the freshest chicken breasts you can find and a small bottle of horseradish if you don’t already have it — it’s the flavor that nudges this sauce into Bloomin’ territory.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise — base for the Bloomin’ Sauce; use full-fat for best texture.
- 2 teaspoons ketchup — adds sweetness and color to the sauce.
- 2 tablespoons horseradish (or a little less) — provides the signature bite; start small and adjust to taste.
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika — a touch in the sauce for warmth and color.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt — seasons the sauce; balance to your taste.
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder — subtle savory lift in the sauce.
- 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano — a faint herbal undertone for the sauce.
- 1 dash ground black pepper — finishing spice for the sauce.
- 1 dash cayenne pepper — adds a little heat to the sauce; be careful, it concentrates quickly.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour — main coating for the chicken; use fresh flour for crispness.
- 4 teaspoons paprika — flavors and colors the dredge; contributes to that Outback look.
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder — key savory note in the seasoned flour.
- 1 teaspoon salt — seasons the dredge so crust isn’t bland.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper — mild spice in the coating.
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper — for heat in the crust; adjust if you prefer milder.
- 1 cup buttermilk — acid and moisture for the wet dip; it helps the coating stick and tenderizes the meat.
- 1/2 cup water — dilutes the buttermilk to the right consistency for dipping.
- 1 pound chicken breast pounded to 1/2 inch thick — uniform thickness ensures even cooking; pat dry before breading.
Perfect Copycat Outback Bloomin Fried Chicken with Signature Bloomin Sauce: How It’s Done
- Make the Bloomin’ Sauce: in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons horseradish (or a little less), 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 dash ground black pepper, and 1 dash cayenne pepper. Stir until smooth, cover, and refrigerate until serving.
- Mix the seasoned flour: in a shallow dish (pie plate) combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir to evenly combine.
- Make the wet dip: in a second shallow dish (another pie plate) whisk together 1 cup buttermilk and 1/2 cup water.
- Prepare the chicken: place 1 pound chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet until the breast is 1/2 inch thick. If any breast is thicker than 1 inch, slice it horizontally to make even pieces. Pat the chicken lightly dry with paper towels.
- Set up a resting/draining station: place a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet and have it ready for the breaded chicken.
- Dredge the chicken — first coat: dredge one piece of chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess.
- Dip in wet mixture: dip the floured chicken into the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off but keeping the surface coated.
- Dredge the chicken — second coat: immediately dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour a second time, pressing the flour onto the surface so it adheres. Transfer the breaded piece to the wire rack. Repeat steps 6–8 for remaining pieces.
- Rest the breaded chicken: let the breaded chicken sit on the wire rack for about 5 minutes before frying.
- Heat the oil: pour 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a skillet and heat to 350°F. Work in batches (1–2 pieces at a time depending on skillet size) so the oil temperature holds.
- Fry the chicken: carefully add 1–2 pieces to the hot oil and fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, about 7–8 minutes per piece (internal temperature should reach 165°F). Remove cooked chicken to the wire rack to drain and keep warm. Repeat with remaining pieces, maintaining the oil temperature near 350°F.
- Serve: place the fried chicken on plates and drizzle some of the Bloomin’ Sauce on top, or serve the sauce on the side.
What Makes This Recipe Special
There are two simple things that set this apart. First is the double-dredge: a flour-buttermilk-flour sequence creates a thick, crunchy crust that clings to the chicken and holds sauce without getting soggy. Second is the Bloomin’ Sauce — the horseradish-forward tang, tempered by mayo and ketchup, is the flavor pivot. Together they mimic that Outback experience without a long ingredient list or complicated techniques.
Swap Guide
Need to swap something? Here are practical options that keep texture and balance:
- Mayonnaise — you can use light mayo for fewer calories, but the sauce will be thinner and less rich.
- Horseradish — if you don’t have it, leave it out and add an extra pinch of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon for brightness; start small and taste.
- Buttermilk — make a quick substitute with 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes, then use with the 1/2 cup water called for.
- Vegetable oil — any neutral high-heat oil works (canola, peanut); avoid olive oil for frying because of low smoke point.
Recommended Tools
- Heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) — holds temperature well for steady frying.
- Wire rack and cookie sheet — essential for resting and preventing the crust from steaming.
- Instant-read thermometer — ensures the chicken hits 165°F without overcooking.
- Two shallow dishes (pie plates) — makes the dredge/dip rhythm fast and tidy.
- Meat mallet and plastic wrap — for pounding breasts to uniform thickness.
Things That Go Wrong
Here are the common missteps and the quick fixes I use:
- Coating falls off in the oil — usually because the breaded pieces weren’t rested on a rack for 5 minutes. Let that bond form before frying.
- Oil temperature drops and coating gets greasy — don’t overcrowd the skillet; fry in small batches and let oil return to 350°F between batches.
- Soggy crust after plating — keep finished pieces on a wire rack, not paper towels. Paper traps steam and softens the crust.
Fresh Seasonal Changes
While the chicken and sauce are intentionally consistent, small seasonal touches can make plates feel current. In spring or summer, serve with a simple salad of arugula and sliced cherry tomatoes dressed with lemon and olive oil. In fall, a side of roasted Brussels sprouts adds a bitter contrast that pairs beautifully with the spicy-sweet sauce. These are plating accents, not ingredient changes to the core recipe.
What Could Go Wrong
Beyond technique, here are temperature- and timing-related pitfalls to watch for:
- Undercooked center — if pieces are uneven in thickness, thinner parts will overcook while thick parts remain raw. Pound to 1/2 inch and, if needed, slice thicker breasts horizontally to match thickness.
- Over-browned exterior before done — lower the heat slightly and cover by lowering the temperature of the oil or finish in a 350°F oven for a few minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Oil smoking — your oil is too hot. Turn the burner down and wait for the smoke to clear before continuing; dispose of oil if it smells burnt.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make the Bloomin’ Sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated, tightly covered. The flavor develops and stores well. The breaded, uncooked chicken can be prepared and refrigerated on the wire rack for up to 2 hours before frying; do not refrigerate for much longer or the coating will absorb moisture.
Leftover cooked chicken keeps in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 375°F oven on a wire rack for 10–12 minutes to bring back some crispness. The sauce also reheats fine cold straight from the fridge.
FAQ
Q: Can I bake this instead of frying? A: You can, but the texture will differ. To bake, place breaded pieces on a wire rack set over a sheet pan, spritz with oil, and bake at 425°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Expect a less pronounced crunch.
Q: How do I make sure the crust is spicy but not overwhelmingly hot? A: The recipe balances cayenne and horseradish with paprika and mayo. If you’re sensitive to heat, reduce the 1/2 teaspoon cayenne in the flour and dial horseradish to 1 tablespoon in the sauce, then taste and adjust.
Q: Can I use thighs instead of breasts? A: Yes, but adjust frying time. Thighs are more forgiving and can stay juicy, but cook-to-temp remains the rule — aim for 165°F internal temperature.
Ready to Cook?
If you have the ingredients lined up, this is a reliable weekend project that rewards attention to a few small details: even thickness, a patient double-dredge, and steady oil temperature. Start the sauce first so it can rest and the flavors can marry. Then mix your flour, get your wet dip ready, pound the breasts, and work in small batches so the oil behaves.
When you plate, offer extra Bloomin’ Sauce at the side — some like a drizzle, some like a dunk. That creamy, horseradish-forward kick is what makes each bite sing. Happy frying — and tell me how your first batch turned out!
Perfect Copycat Outback Bloomin Fried Chicken with Signature Bloomin Sauce
Equipment
- Small Bowl
- shallow dish (pie plate)
- Wire Rack
- Cookie sheet
- Skillet
- Meat Mallet
- Paper Towels
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 cupmayonnaise
- 2 teaspoonsketchup
- 2 tablespoonshorseradishor a little less
- 1/4 teaspoonpaprika
- 1/4 teaspoonsalt
- 1/8 teaspoongarlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoondried oregano
- 1 dashground black pepper
- 1 dashcayenne pepper
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoonspaprika
- 2 teaspoonsgarlic powder
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- 1/2 teaspoonground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspooncayenne pepper
- 1 cupbuttermilk
- 1/2 cupwater
- 1 poundchicken breastpounded to 1/2 inch thick
Instructions
Instructions
- Make the Bloomin' Sauce: in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons horseradish (or a little less), 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 dash ground black pepper, and 1 dash cayenne pepper. Stir until smooth, cover, and refrigerate until serving.
- Mix the seasoned flour: in a shallow dish (pie plate) combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir to evenly combine.
- Make the wet dip: in a second shallow dish (another pie plate) whisk together 1 cup buttermilk and 1/2 cup water.
- Prepare the chicken: place 1 pound chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet until the breast is 1/2 inch thick. If any breast is thicker than 1 inch, slice it horizontally to make even pieces. Pat the chicken lightly dry with paper towels.
- Set up a resting/draining station: place a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet and have it ready for the breaded chicken.
- Dredge the chicken — first coat: dredge one piece of chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess.
- Dip in wet mixture: dip the floured chicken into the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off but keeping the surface coated.
- Dredge the chicken — second coat: immediately dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour a second time, pressing the flour onto the surface so it adheres. Transfer the breaded piece to the wire rack. Repeat steps 6–8 for remaining pieces.
- Rest the breaded chicken: let the breaded chicken sit on the wire rack for about 5 minutes before frying.
- Heat the oil: pour 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a skillet and heat to 350°F. Work in batches (1–2 pieces at a time depending on skillet size) so the oil temperature holds.
- Fry the chicken: carefully add 1–2 pieces to the hot oil and fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, about 7–8 minutes per piece (internal temperature should reach 165°F). Remove cooked chicken to the wire rack to drain and keep warm. Repeat with remaining pieces, maintaining the oil temperature near 350°F.
- Serve: place the fried chicken on plates and drizzle some of the Bloomin' Sauce on top, or serve the sauce on the side.
