Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Here's what you'll need to make 8-10 pieces of fried chicken goodness:

Photo bypintrest

For the Brine:

• 8 cups water
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1 lemon, sliced in about 1/8" thickness
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed or pureed

For the Fried Chicken:

• 3 lb whole chicken* cut into 10 pieces (breast cut in half)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 6 cups of tallow, for frying**

Place all the ingredients for the chicken brine in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, until the salt dissolves, then allow it to chill completely. For a quicker chill, place the mixture in a bowl set over an ice bath. Otherwise, let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

Once chilled, submerge the chicken in the brine for 8 hours, but do not exceed this time to avoid overly salty chicken. Discard the brine, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour while preparing the other ingredients.

Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper, dividing the mixture into two bowls. Pour buttermilk into a third bowl, placing it between the flour mixtures.

Fill a deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed pot (at least 10 inches wide) with tallow, enough to reach a few inches up the sides. Preheat to 320°F.

Bread the drumsticks and thighs by dipping each piece into the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, and once more into the flour. Fry for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 170°F. Drain on paper towels.

Increase the fryer temperature to 340°F. Repeat the breading process for the wings and breasts, frying for 6-7 minutes or until golden and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Drain on paper towels.

* Notes:

• Use a small fryer chicken (3-4 pounds) to ensure even cooking. The 10-piece cut consists of 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings, and 4 breast pieces. You can also use just one type of cut if preferred.
• Tallow is recommended for frying due to its stability, flavor, and ability to keep the breading crisp. You may need around 6 cups, depending on the pan size. You can usually find tallow at your local butcher shop, or Whole Foods markets. If you can not find tallow, peanut oil or canola oil is a fine substitute.
• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, warm in a 300°F oven, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. For freezing, store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.