Batter Fried Chicken

By nancyjcanzi

Ingredients

• Halve breasts crosswise and separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks.
• Ingredients
• BRINE
• 1 quart cold water
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (see note)
• BATTER
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 5 teaspoons pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups cold water
• 3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from cookscountrytv.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. MAKE BRINE Whisk water, salt, and sugar in large bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Add chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. MAKE BATTER Whisk flour, cornstarch, pepper, paprika, cayenne, baking powder, salt, and water in large bowl until smooth. Refrigerate batter while chicken is brining.
3. FRY CHICKEN Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Remove chicken from refrigerator, pour off brine, and pat dry with paper towels. Rewhisk batter. Transfer half of chicken to batter. One piece at a time, remove chicken from batter (allowing excess to drip back into bowl) and transfer to oil. Fry chicken, adjusting burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees, until deep golden brown and white meat registers 160 degrees (175 degrees for dark meat), 12 to 15 minutes. Drain chicken on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet. Bring oil back to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. Serve.
Step-by-Step
Best Batter-Fried Chicken

1. A crisp crust starts by whisking together a thin batter made from water, flour, baking powder, spices, and cornstarch.
2. After you've dipped the chicken in the batter, let the excess drip off (back into the bowl) to avoid a doughy coating.
3. To prevent the chicken pieces from sticking together in the oil, don't crowd the pot. Fry the chicken in two batches.