Southern Fried Chicken
- 4
Ingredients:
2½-3 pounds fresh chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups wheat flour
4 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
Lard or all-vegetable shortening (Crisco) for pan frying
Brine
¾ cup chicken broth or water
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic, rough chopped
1 bay leaf, broken
Instructions:
Equipment
2 medium-size mixing bowls
Cast iron skillet or temperature-controlled electric deep skillet
Baking wire rack
Large brown paper bag
Prepare skillet for frying at 365 degrees. Combine brining ingredients in one of the mixing bowls, add cut-up chicken and marinate for 2 hours. Remove chicken from brine. Pour buttermilk into the other mixing bowl and transfer brined chicken into the buttermilk for 30 minutes just before placing in the flour mixture.
Reserve 1 cup of all-purpose flour for gravy roux. Put remaining flours, salt, and pepper into bag, close top and mix by shaking. Remove chicken from buttermilk and place in bag. Shake well to coat. Remove from bag and place on wire rack to let excess flour drop. Let coated chicken rest for 30 minutes before frying. Heat frying fat to 365 degrees. Place coated chicken in hot oil, skin side down, and cook 10 minutes before adding the remaining cuts of chicken. Turn chicken and fry 15 additional minutes. Total cook time should be 25 minutes for chicken breasts. Chicken will be crispy and mahogany in color. Place chicken on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch any drippings.