Name: Southern Fried Chicken
Prep time: 480 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 515 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Southern & Soul Food
Ingredients: 1.6 kg chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on; 1 l buttermilk; 2 tbsp hot sauce; 2 tbsp salt; 400 g all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp black pepper; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; neutral oil or lard (for frying, enough to come halfway up the chicken pieces)

Method

Brine overnight

Whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce and one tablespoon of the salt together, submerge the chicken pieces, cover and refrigerate for at least eight hours.

The buttermilk's acidity tenderizes the meat and seasons it all the way through — an overnight brine is what separates fried chicken from just breaded chicken.

480 min

Mix the seasoned flour

Whisk the flour with the remaining salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne in a wide dish.

Dredge the chicken

Lift each piece of chicken straight from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, and press it firmly into the seasoned flour to coat on all sides.

Press hard rather than just rolling the chicken through the flour — that's what builds the craggy, extra-crisp crust.

Rest the coated chicken

Set the dredged chicken on a rack for ten minutes so the coating sets and won't slide off in the oil.

10 min

Heat the fat

Heat the oil or lard in a deep, heavy skillet to 165°C, checked with a thermometer.

Fry the chicken

Fry the pieces in batches, without crowding the pan, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74°C, about fifteen minutes per batch.

Keep the oil between 150°C and 165°C — too hot burns the crust before the inside cooks, too cool makes it greasy.

15 min

Drain and rest

Lift the chicken onto a wire rack to drain and rest for five minutes before serving.

5 min

Southern Fried Chicken

Ingredients

Method

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