Cook’s Country One-Batch Fried Chicken (Ep 1309)

Servings: Serves 4 Source:

Ingredients

Brine and Chicken

2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon salt

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (2 split breasts cut in half crosswise, 2 drumsticks, and 2 thighs), trimmed

1 ½ quarts peanut or vegetable oil

Coating

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons white pepper

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons buttermilk

Directions

Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. To take the temperature of the chicken pieces, take them out of the oil and place them on a plate; this is the safest way and provides the most accurate reading.

1. FOR THE BRINE AND CHICKEN: Whisk buttermilk and salt in large bowl until salt is dissolved. Submerge chicken in buttermilk mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. FOR THE COATING: Whisk flour, white pepper, pepper, celery salt, granulated garlic, ginger, Italian seasoning, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Add buttermilk and, using your fingers, rub flour mixture and buttermilk together until craggy bits form throughout.

3. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Working with 2 pieces of chicken at a time, remove from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then drop into flour mixture, turning to thoroughly coat and pressing to adhere. Transfer to prepared rack, skin side up. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours.

4. Set second wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1 inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Add all chicken to oil, skin side down in single layer (some slight overlap is OK) so that pieces are mostly submerged. Cover and fry for 10 minutes, rotating pot after 5 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature around 300 degrees.

5. Uncover pot (chicken will be golden on sides and bottom but unset and gray on top) and carefully flip chicken. Continue to fry, uncovered, until chicken is golden brown and breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, 7 to 9 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to paper towel—lined rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.