Nashville Hot Fried Chicken

By ruthg

Pretty much everyone agrees that the two principal ingredients are lard and cayenne, combined in mysterious proportions and brushed on the chicken just out of the fryer, Lacquering it a shocking shade of red.

Ingredients

• For the dry brine:
• 1 whole chicken (3 lbs) cut into quarters
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• .
• For the dip:
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce
• .
• For the dredge:
• Vegetable oil for frying
• .
• For the spicy coating:
• 1/2 cup lard, melted and heated (or hot frying oil)
• 3 Tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Details

Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Toss chicken with salt & pepper, cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
In a bowl, whisk milk, eggs, and hot sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk flour and salt. Dip chicken in flour mixture, then milk mixture, then the flour mixture again, shaking off excess after each step.
Fill a 6- to 8-quart pot halfway with oil and heat to 325 degrees. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Working in batches, lower chicken into hot oil; fry until crisp, 15 to 17 minutes for breast quarters and 18 to 20 minutes for leg quarters. Remove chicken and let drain on the rack.
Carefully ladle lard or frying oil into a heatproof bowl. Whisk in remaining spicy coating ingredients. Baste spicy coating over hot fried chicken and plate immediately.