SERVES 6
SKILL LEVEL: EASY
COOK TIME: 8–10 MINS.
PREP TIME: 10 MINS.
COST: $
Inactive Prep Time: 12 hrs.
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 small organic chicken, broken down into 10 pieces
Peanut oil, for frying
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup water
2–3 cups flour, to dredge
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt
Pepper
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Combine the spice mixture and chicken pieces in a plastic zip bag, and toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat ½ inch of peanut oil in a cast-iron skillet to 360 °F.
3. Lightly beat the eggs, and combine with the buttermilk and water in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, add the flour and cornstarch, and then season with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece into the buttermilk mixture and then coat in flour mixture. Fry the pieces until golden brown on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side.
4. Remove to a wire rack to drain excess oil, then serve.
Carla My fried chicken isn’t really my fried chicken. Like a lot of good things in my cooking, it comes from my Grandma Thelma. She wasn’t on Top Chef like me, but if Top Chef had the guts to have some grandmas on, Thelma would’ve knocked Tom Colicchio’s socks off. Like Michael, I season my chicken the night before to give the flavors a chance to make their presence known. Next day, I dip the chicken parts in an egg-buttermilk batter and then dredge in some flour. It adds up to one heck of a crispy crust. Michael may need to fry his twice, but Grandma Thelma’s is such a flavor powerhouse that once is plenty—make that plenty good!