Mexican Fried Chicken

By cmschnettler

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup honey, plus more for drizzling
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, halved crosswise
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken wings, separated into drumettes and wingettes
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon ground ancho chiles or chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion
• Hot sauce and lime wedges, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk honey and vinegar. Add the chicken; toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Drain the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large, deep pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 inches oil over medium until it registers 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour and the next 8 ingredients. Working in batches, dip the chicken into the egg whites, then coat in the flour mixture. Fry until golden-brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per batch for tenders and 7 to 10 minutes per batch for wings. Season the chicken with salt. Serve with honey, hot sauce and lime wedges.