WA-PO Fried Chicken

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• 1 quart buttermilk (can use low-fat)
• 6 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/3 cup hot pepper sauce, preferably Tabasco
• One 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces (wings reserved for another use; breasts cut in half crosswise)
• Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (generally 3 to 4 cups)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Details

Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 600mins

Preparation

Step 1

Stir together the buttermilk, garlic and hot pepper sauce in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, making sure they are all submerged. Refrigerate/marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Heat the oil in a deep pot or deep, large skillet over medium heat until it reaches about 300 degrees (you generally want the oil in the 275- to 300-degree range while you fry, so check it with the thermometer often).

Sift together the flour, salt and pepper on a wide plate or pie dish. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Pull the pieces of chicken out of the buttermilk one at a time and coat in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess, but try not to be overzealous because you most likely want a nice, thick crust. Place the chicken pieces on the rack as you work; let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes. (This will help the coating stay in place as the chicken fries.) Discard the excess buttermilk and seasoned flour mixtures.

Working in batches as needed, carefully add the chicken pieces to the pan, skin sides down; the oil around them should bubble vigorously. Fry for a total of 20 to 25 minutes, using tongs to turn the pieces over about every 5 minutes and rotating them around the pan to keep the pieces from sticking to the bottom and out of hot spots.

The chicken is done when evenly browned and crisped; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat (and away from the bone) should register at least 165 degrees. Use tongs to transfer it to a clean wire rack to drain and cool for a bit before serving.