Best-Ever Crispy Fried Chicken
Yield
6 servingsPrep
1 hrsCook
15 minReady
5½ hrsIngredients
Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
---|---|---|---|
½ | cup |
salt
table salt |
|
4 | tablespoons |
sugar
|
|
2 | tablespoons |
paprika
|
|
2 | whole |
garlic
two garlic heads and cloves separated |
* |
2 | each |
bay leaves
slightly crushed |
* |
7 ½ | cups |
buttermilk
|
|
1 | whole |
chicken
giblets discarded, chop into 12 pieces |
* |
3 ¾ | cups |
all-purpose flour
|
|
1 | each |
eggs
|
|
¾ | teaspoon |
baking powder
|
|
½ | teaspoon |
baking soda
|
|
3 | cups |
canola oil
or peanut oil |
Ingredients
Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
---|---|---|---|
118 | ml |
salt
table salt |
|
6E+1 | ml |
sugar
|
|
3E+1 | ml |
paprika
|
|
2 | whole |
garlic
two garlic heads and cloves separated |
* |
2 | each |
bay leaves
slightly crushed |
* |
1.8 | l |
buttermilk
|
|
1 | whole |
chicken
giblets discarded, chop into 12 pieces |
* |
887 | ml |
all-purpose flour
|
|
1 | each |
eggs
|
|
3.8 | ml |
baking powder
|
|
2.5 | ml |
baking soda
|
|
7.1E+2 | ml |
canola oil
or peanut oil |
Directions
In a large zipper-lock bag, combine the salt, sugar, paprika, garlic cloves, and bay leaves.
With a meat pounder, smash the garlic into the salt and spice mixture completely.
Pour the mixture into a large plastic container or non-reactive stockpot.
Add 6½ cups buttermilk and stir until the salt is dissolved.
Immerse the chicken and refrigerate until fully seasoned, 2 to 6½ hours.
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk solution and shake off the excess liquid.
Place in a single layer on a large wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
Chill the chicken pieces uncovered in the refrigerator for about 6½ hours.
At this stage, if you are not going to cook the chicken right away, you can cover the chicken with clean warp and keep refrigerated up to at least 8 hours.
When you are ready to fry the chicken, measure the flour into a large shallow dish.
Beat the egg, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
Pour in the remaining 1 cup buttermilk, and stir until well combined. The mixture will look quite foamy.
Working in batches of 3, drop the chicken pieces in the flour and shake the pan to coat evenly.
Shake the excess flour from each piece of chicken.
Dip chicken pieces into the egg mixture with the tongs, turning to coat well and allowing the excess to drip off.
Coat the chicken pieces with the flour again, shake off the excess, and place to the wire rack again.
Place the oven rack to the middle position of the oven.
Arrange the second wire rack over the second baking sheet, and set on the oven rack.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Line the large plage with double layer paper towels.
In the meantime, start heating the oil, there should be 6½-inch depth in the pan.
Heat the oil to 375℉ (190℃) over medium-high heat in a large 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with a diameter of about 12-inches.
Place half of the chicken pieces skin-side down in the oil, cover, reduce the heat to medium and fry until deep golden brown, about 7 minutes.
After 4 minutes, lift the chicken peces with the tongs to check for even browning.
Rearrange if some of the pieces are browning faster than others.
Spot-check the temperature of the oil, after frying the first 6 minutes, the temperature of the oil should be around 325℉ (160℃). Adjust the heat level if needed.
Turn the chicken pieces over and continue to fry, uncovered, unti the chicken pieces are deep golden brown on the second side, about 7 minutes or longer.
With the tongs transfer the chicken to paper towel-lined plate.
Return the oil to 375℉ (190℃) and keep frying the remaining chicken pieces.
Transfer the pieces to the paper towel-lined late to drain, then placing to the wire eack with the other cooked pieces.
Let cool for a few minutes and serve.