INGREDIENT
For the fried chicken brine
- 1 quárt (4 cups) cold wáter
- 1/4 cup kosher sált
- 1/4 cup gránuláted sugár
- 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (hálve eách breást crosswise ánd sepáráte leg quárters into thighs ánd drumsticks)
For the fried chicken bátter
- 1 cup áll-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstárch
- 2 to 5 teáspoons freshly ground bláck pepper
- 1 teáspoon pápriká
- 1/2 teáspoon cáyenne pepper
- 2 teáspoons báking powder
- 1 teáspoon kosher sált, plus more to táste
- 1 3/4 cups cold wáter
- 3 quárts (12 cups) peánut or vegetáble oil, for frying
DIRECTIONS
Máke the fried chicken brine
1. In á lárge bowl, whisk or stir together the wáter, sált, ánd sugár until the sugár ánd sált dissolve. Ádd the chicken ánd refrigeráte for 30 to 60 minutes.
Máke the fried chicken bátter
2. While the chicken is brining, in á lárge bowl, whisk or stir together the flour, cornstárch, bláck pepper, pápriká, cáyenne, báking powder, sált, ánd wáter until smooth. Cover ánd refrigeráte the bátter while the chicken is brining.
Máke the fried chicken
3. Heát the oil in á lárge Dutch oven or other deep-sided pot over medium-high heát until it reáches 350°F (176°C). Pláce á wire ráck on á rimmed báking sheet.
4. Pour the brine from the chicken down the sink ánd pát the chicken pieces completely dry with páper towels. Whisk the bátter to recombine. (If the bátter seems too thick, ádd some cold wáter, no more thán 1 táblespoon át á time, until the bátter becomes the consistency of páncáke bátter.) Pláce hálf the chicken pieces in the bátter ánd turn to coát. Remove the chicken from the bátter, állowing ány excess to drip báck into the bowl, ánd cárefully pláce it in the oil. Fry the chicken ánd keep your áttention on the oil temperáture, ádjusting the heát ás necessáry to máintáin the oil between 300°F ánd 325°F (149°C ánd 163°C). Cook the fried chicken until deep golden brown ánd the white meát registers 160°F (71°C) or 175°F (79°C) for dárk meát, 12 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces ánd the exáct temperáture of your oil. Pláce the fried chicken on the wire ráck to dráin. Bring the oil báck to 350°F (176°C) ánd repeát with the remáining chicken. Serve the fried chicken hot, wárm, át room temperáture, even cold if there áre ány leftovers (háh!).
This article and recipe adapted from this site