southern fried chicken

This fried chicken is coated with a layer of super light, extra crunchy craggy-ness thanks to a tight packing of fine 00 flour coupled with a low-temperature shallow fry. It's finished with a drizzle of toasted honey butter, allowing the hot and flavorful spice dust to stick to every nook and cranny. It's also not a coincidence that this recipe combined with Stella's waffle recipe uses exactly one quart of buttermilk, so fire up those waffle makers...

Extra-Crispy Fried Chicken With Caramelized Honey and Spice Recipe

For the Buttermilk Brine:

2 1/2– (1.1 chicken

(540 grams) buttermilk

(130 grams) Frank's RedHot hot sauce

(4 grams) garlic powder

(4 grams) onion powder

(2 grams) black pepper

(8 grams) kosher salt (see note)

For Frying:

(375 grams) Italian 00 flour (see note)

(8 grams) kosher salt,

For the Honey-Butter Drizzle:

(120 grams) clover honey

(30 grams) water

(50 grams) butter

For the Spice Dust:

árbol chilies (about 6 grams)

Kashmiri red chilies (18 grams)

(2 grams) star anise

black cardamom pod (2 grams), inner seeds only

cinnamon (4 grams)

(2 grams) cumin seeds

peppercorns

(6 grams) porcini mushroom powder

To Serve (Optional, but Recommended!):

Buttermilk Vanilla Waffles

To Prepare and Brine the Chicken: Using a chef's knife, break the chicken down into 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, and 2 wings and divide each breast half in half (making 4 breast pieces in total); leave all pieces bone-in. Split backbone crosswise into 2 pieces and reserve the neck if you choose to fry it as well. (Both the backbone and the neck are optional pieces with very little meat, but fried-chicken-crust lovers will adore them.) 

In a large lidded container or mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Add chicken to buttermilk brine, making sure it is fully coated and submerged; cover with lid or plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can place the brine and chicken in a heavy-duty zipper-lock bag and place the bag in a dish to catch any leaks. Place in refrigerator and marinate overnight for at least 8 hours and no more than 12 hours. 

For Frying: Fill a 12-inch cast iron skillet with oil. (If using a skillet of a different size, increase or reduce the amount of oil to fill it halfway up.) Attach a clip-on thermometer and preheat the oil to 325°F (163°C), keeping the burner at medium-high heat. Line one sheet tray with paper towels and set a wire rack in another sheet tray.

Whisk together the 00 flour and salt. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of buttermilk brine into the flour and gently toss. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, lift chicken from buttermilk and immediately place it in flour with your "wet" hand. Using your other, "dry" hand, bury the chicken and press flour into all sides, packing tightly to form large clumps of flour coating each piece. Lift chicken out of flour and shake to remove any loose flour before placing into the hot oil. Proceed with remaining pieces, first frying the legs and thighs in one batch, then frying the breast, wings, and backbone (if using) in the second. 

Once the chicken is added to the oil, the temperature will drop to between 250 and 275°F (121 and 135°C). Do not increase the heat to compensate; just allow the oil temperature to gradually return to 325°F (163°C) as the chicken cooks. The temperature should be up to 300°F (148°C) after 10 minutes; if not, increase the heat. Fry, turning, until deeply golden brown all over, with extra-dark bits where the chicken makes contact with the pan, about 8 minutes per side for legs and thighs and about 6 minutes per side for wings, breasts, and backbones.

As each piece of chicken is ready, remove from oil to the paper towel–lined sheet tray and season immediately with kosher salt. Transfer chicken to wire rack to rest.

Meanwhile, for the Honey-Butter Drizzle: Add honey to a 1-quart saucepan and caramelize over medium-high heat until deep, nutty brown, with an aroma of burnt sugar. Remove from heat and add water. Return to heat and add butter, stirring until incorporated. Set aside.

For the Spice Dust: Remove stems and seeds from chilies by cutting them open with kitchen shears over a wire rack set over a sheet tray. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, toast chilies until fragrant, warm to the touch, and pliable. Set aside. In the same pan, toast star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon for 30 seconds before adding cumin and Sichuan peppercorns. Toast until fragrant and warm to the touch. In a spice grinder, grind toasted chilies and spices together until fine. Mix in mushroom powder. Set aside.

To Serve: Just before serving, drizzle each piece of chicken with honey butter and generously sprinkle on spice dust. Serve with buttermilk waffles, if desired. 

Homemade Chicken and Waffles is a true soul food brunch dish that everyone loves. My recipe includes juicy Southern fried chicken and fluffy waffles with an amazing sweet and spicy sauce made with maple syrup or honey.

Southern Fried Chicken And Waffles Recipe

boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Vegetable Oil,

(480 mL) buttermilk OR soured whole milk* (see notes)

tbsp kosher salt

garlic powder

onion powder

hot sauce or chili powder

tsp smoked paprika

(384 g) all-purpose flour

(43 g) cornstarch

tsp baking powder

tsp kosher salt

tsp black pepper

(85 g) honey

tsp chili powder (or more if you

tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter

Best Belgian Waffles Recipe, click the link

Southern Fried Chicken and Waffles Recipe

Whisk the buttermilk or soured milk, kosher salt,...

Whisk the buttermilk or soured milk, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, and smoked paprika together in a large mixing bowl.

Add the boneless, skinless chicken thigh to the...

Add the boneless, skinless chicken thigh to the bowl, making sure every thigh is covered in the brine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinate in the buttermilk brine from 1 hour to overnight in the fridge. 

In a dutch oven pot, heat up about...

In a dutch oven pot, heat up about half the pot's worth of vegetable oil. Allow the oil to reach 350 degrees F (180 degrees C/ 160 degrees C if using a fan-forced oven).

While the oil is heating up, in a...

While the oil is heating up, in a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and seasonings. Take each chicken thigh from the brine and dredge into the seasoned flour. Thoroughly coat the chicken all over, then let rest on a plate for five minutes before frying.

Fry the chicken in the hot oil (no...

Fry the chicken in the hot oil (no more than about 4 thighs per batch) until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through completely, about 8-9 minutes.

Carefully take the chicken out of the oil...

Carefully take the chicken out of the oil and place them on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving. Repeat until all the chicken thighs are fried.

Make the Belgian Waffles and serve the chicken...

Make the Belgian Waffles and serve the chicken on top of the waffles, then drizzle generously with spicy honey butter sauce or maple syrup.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium...

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat with honey, chili powder, and kosher salt. Whisk well until the mixture is incorporated and homogenized.

Lower the temperature to 'warm/low' heat and keep...

Lower the temperature to 'warm/low' heat and keep for serving.

Recipe video above. This is a fried chicken recipe that&#x27;s made using a technique that yields an incredible super crunchy, really craggy crust with loads of nubbly bits that get extra crunchy! Seasoned with a KFC copycat 11 Secret Herbs and Spices - but it&#x27;s better than KFC, there&#x27;s no trace of soggy bits at all! Flesh is juicy all the way through thanks to a classic Southern buttermilk marinade (read in post why there&#x27;s no spices in the marinade!).

Fried Chicken - ultra craggy crispy crust!

1.8 kg/ 3.6lb

buttermilk ((Note 2 for sub))

salt

flour (, plain / all purpose)

corn flour cornstarch

tsp salt

tsp celery salt

black pepper ((Note 2))

1.5 tsp sweet paprika ((ie. not hot or smoked))

cayenne pepper (, optional)

mustard powder

ginger powder

thyme

oregano

vegetable oil

Mix Marinade in a bowl until salt dissolves.

Pour over chicken in ziplock bag, massage to coat chicken. Press out excess air, seal, refrigerate 12 to 24 hours, turning once or twice.

Pour chicken and marinade into large bowl.

Buttermilk Marinade Chicken:

Whisk together Breading and all KFC Secret Herbs &amp; Spices.

Drizzle 4.5 tablespoons of Marinade into flour mixture. Use fingers to rub in so you get lots of pea sized lumpy bits all throughout (this creates extra super crunchy craggy bits).

Spread out in a shallow dish or pan (easier to work with).

Breading mixture:

Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray - to keep chicken warm. (Note 3)

Add oil to a wide, heavy based pot to a depth of 6 cm / 2.5 " (my 26cm/10.5" cast iron pot = 1.75L/quarts oil, Note 4)

Heat oil over medium to medium high heat to 180°C/350°F - maintain temp as best you can (Note 5).

Prepare to cook (work in specified order of steps):

Cooking order: Start with thighs and drumsticks, wings next and cook breast last. (Note 6).

Squidge a piece of chicken in remaining marinade, place in flour.

Coat well, pressing very firmly to adhere. Transfer to plate.

Coat 2 or 3 more pieces - just for one cooking batch, covering oil surface in single layer. (Note 7)

Breading:

Carefully place chicken in oil - it will bubble energetically but it will not spit.

Once chicken is in, oil temperature should drop to 150°C/300°C - adjust heat to target this.

DO NOT TOUCH chicken for 2 minutes - to let the crust bond with the chicken skin. After this, you can move them around but oil should be deep enough that you do not need to flip (but you can if you want!).

Thighs and drumsticks - cook for 8 minutes (wings for 5 minutes), or until deep golden brown and internal temperature at thickest part is 75°C / 167°F.

Breast - fry for 6 minutes or until internal temperature at thickest part is 65°C / 150°F (time depends on size).

Place onto rack and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining chicken, coating each batch just prior to cooking.

Serve immediately!

Classic sides: Coleslaw, KFC copycat potato and gravy, steamed or grilled corn, cornbread or soft rolls, fries, potato salad, Southern Baked Beans!

Frying:

This recipe comes to you all the way from the Deep South.  It doesn&#x27;t call for buttermilk or lard, making it a tinny bit healthier, if you can ever call Southern Fried Chicken healthy...

Southern Fried Chicken without Buttermilk

chicken leg quarters, cut

all-purpose flour (130 grams)

pepper

eggs

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt,...

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and pepper. In a separate mixing bowl, place and beat the eggs.

Take a piece and dredge it in the...

Take a piece and dredge it in the flour. Shake off the excess and dip it in the egg. Let the egg drip off and coat one more time in flour. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the pieces.

Fill the bottom of the skillet with oil...

Fill the bottom of the skillet with oil and heat.  You know the oil is ready when you throw some flour into it and it sizzles or it reaches 350°F.

When hot, add a few pieces of chicken at...

When hot, add a few pieces of chicken at a time to the oil until the pan is full.  

Lower the flame to medium or medium-high. Fry...

Lower the flame to medium or medium-high. Fry until the bottom is golden brown, then turn over.

Once both sides are cooked, remove and place...

Once both sides are cooked, remove and place on a cooling rack until cool enough to eat.

If you want a crazy delicious chicken recipe, then it has to be this recipe for The Best Southern Fried Chicken. Crispy, flavorful and absolutely divine!

THE BEST SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

chicken,

tsp kosher salt, divided use

buttermilk

hot sauce

all-purpose flour

cornstarch

peanut oil

Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add 2 tsp salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, toss to coat the chicken in the spices.

Add the buttermilk and hot sauce to the bowl, stir until everything is combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but it’s best if you can let it sit overnight.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 2 tsp salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Fill up your deep fryer (deep cast iron skillet or dutch oven) with peanut oil (or frying oil of your choice) and preheat to 350°F.

Taking the chicken pieces one at a time, let the excess buttermilk drip off. Coat in the flour mixture, make sure the chicken is well coated. Shake off any excess.

Carefully add the piece of chicken to the deep fryer. Fry until golden brown, turning every few minutes.

You will need to fry in batches so you do not overcrowd the fryer. Chicken is done when golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Depending on the size of the chicken, dark meat takes about 12-14 minutes and white meat takes 8-10 minutes.

When the chicken is done frying, place it on a paper towel lined sheet tray and immediately sprinkle a little flaked salt on top. Continue with the rest of the chicken pieces.

The South meets Jamaica with this Southern fried jerk chicken. Extra crispy fried chicken is brined in a jerk-buttermilk marinade, deep fried and topped with dry jerk seasoning mix.

Jerk Fried Chicken

chicken thighs (skin on/bone in)

chicken legs

low fat buttermilk

tbsp jerk marinade (Walkerswood or Grace commercial brands are great)

tbsp vodka

corn starch

dry jerk spice

tbsp reserved wet marinade

Peanut Oil

dry jerk seasoning

peanut oil used

In a mixing bowl combine the buttermilk, salt, jerk marinade, and vodka and mix well. Add chicken to a bowl or ziplock bag and cover with marinade. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let cool to room temperature on a wire wrack. Reserve the marinade for use in the coating.

FOR THE MARINADE

Add the flour, starch, and spices to a baking dish (or a brown paper bag) and mix well. Add 4 tbsps of the reserved marinade. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade 1 piece at a time and coat well in the seasoned flour, pushing the crumbly bits of flour into the chicken. Shake off excess and reserve on a baking sheet. Time permitting place chicken on wire rack and let sit uncovered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

FOR THE COATING

When all the chicken is dredged in the flour, add about an inch of oil to a heavy frying pan or cast iron skillet. Over medium-high flame, heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Test by dropping a small piece of the coating from the chicken into the oil. The coating will bubble and begin to fry. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until the outside is browned and the meat is cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the frying pan and place on wire rack. Time permitting let the chicken rest 30 minutes or more. Then fry again at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes

Remove chicken to wire racks. As chicken rests, collect hot oil from the pan/fryer and pour into a small bowl. Add the jerk spice and mix well. Spoon or brush the hot mixture over the chicken. I'm generous with the seasoning. Finish off the dish by sprinkling leftover jerk spice onto the hot chicken. Enjoy

FOR FRYING

Season generously and at each step

Marinate or brine the chicken overnight for max juiciness

Add a little bit of liquid to your dry coating mix for Popeye&#x27;s level crunchiness

I used jerk flavors but feel free to use your seasoning of choice but try and stay true to the technique.

Use a high smoke point oil like peanut or canola oil.

After you coat the chicken with flour let it rest on a rack for 20-30 minutes to form a crust before you fry it.

Allow chicken to warm to room temperature before frying which will help it to cook through.

Add a starch - potato, corn, or tapioca to get more crispiness.

Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack set over a foiled lined baking sheet.They&#x27;ll cool, crisp, and dry off all at once.

RECIPE NOTES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LSmzDKqJeU

Learn how to make Southern fried chicken w/ Jamaican jerk seasoning. Chicken is brined and seasoned with bold Jamaican jerk flavors then deep-fried. Recipe @ https://www.foodfidelity.com/jerk-fried-chicken/.

How To Make Fried Jerk Chicken| Deep Fried Chicken - Food Fidelity

A family favorite, true comfort food, and an easy dinner recipe, easy Southern Oven-Fried Chicken, has crispy, fried to perfection crust, juicy, flavorful meat, fewer calories, and less mess than classic fried chicken.

Southern Oven-Fried Chicken Recipe

chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)

unsalted butter

black pepper

First, mix two cups of water and two tablespoons of kosher salt in a large bowl to brine the chicken. Next, add the thighs and make sure they are completely submerged. Cover, and refrigerate for at least four hours, up to 24 hours.

When you are ready to bake the thighs, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the poultry from the refrigerator, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the butter in a 9x13 metal roasting pan.

Place the pan in the oven to allow it to heat up and the butter to melt. Watch it carefully, and don&#39;t let the butter burn; you want the thighs to start cooking as soon as they hit the pan.

While the pan is heating, place the flour, remaining salt, and pepper in a large plastic storage bag. Add the thighs, a piece at a time, and shake well until it&#39;s thoroughly coated. Shake off any excess flour and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Remove the pan from the oven and place the thighsn in it, skin side down.

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📋Ultimate Southern Fried Chicken

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