MAKES: 6 servings TESTED BY: Sammy M.

040 Buttermilk-Brined Fried Chicken with creamy gravy

TASTING COMMENTS:

Every time we make this recipe, we’re amazed by how much flavor is created with such simple ingredients! Process is keY: First, brining tenderizes and adds moisture to the chicken. And then frying the coated chicken just a few pieces at a time maintains the temperature of the oil so the breading fries up crunchy, not soggy!—SM

prep 30 minutes chill 2 hourS cook 12 minutes per batch

Choose a vegetable oil that has a smoking point above 400°F. You can use any of these oils for fried chicken: peanut, canola, corn, safflower, and sunflower.

1. For brine, set an extra-large resealable plastic bag in a large glass measuring cup or large bowl. Add the 3 cups buttermilk, the kosher salt, and sugar to bag; stir. Using a chef’s knife, cut chicken breast halves in half crosswise. Add all of the chicken to the brine; seal bag. Turn bag to coat chicken. Chill 2 to 4 hours. Remove chicken from brine. Drain chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, the ¼ tsp. salt, and the pepper. Place the ¾ cup buttermilk in a shallow dish. Coat chicken with flour mixture; dip in buttermilk and coat again with flour mixture.

3. Meanwhile, in a deep, heavy pot or deep-fat fryer heat 1½ inches oil to 350°F. Using tongs, carefully add a few pieces of chicken to hot oil. (Oil temperature will drop; adjust the heat to maintain temperature at 350°F.) Fry chicken 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is done (170°F for breasts; 175°F for thighs and drumsticks) and coating is golden, turning once. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. If desired, keep fried chicken warm in a preheated 300°F oven while frying remaining chicken pieces and making gravy.

Per serving 618 cal., 36 g fat (7 g sat. fat), 110 mg chol., 1,701 mg sodium, 37 g carb., 1 g fiber, 5 g sugars, 36 g pro.

Spicy Buttermilk-Brined Fried Chicken Prepare as directed, except add 1½ tsp. cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.

on the side Pick the perfect potato to accompany this crunchy fried chicken. When it’s hot out of the fryer, try Mashed Potatoes (see recipe). For hot chicken or cold leftover chicken (so good on a picnic!), try Classic Potato Salad (see recipe).

Buttermilk-Brined Fried Chicken with Creamy Gravy

TESTING NOTES

1. When frying chicken, the pieces should be similar in size so they cook evenly in the same amount of time. You’ll need to cut breast pieces in half using a sturdy, sharp chef’s knife.

2. The salt- and buttermilk-based brine actually breaks down the muscle fibers and allows the meat to absorb more moisture and flavor. Soak chicken in the brine at least 2 hours but no more than 4.

3. A double dip in the seasoned flour mixture with a buttermilk bath in between ensures the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated with flavorful breading that won’t fall off during frying. To keep the flour mixture from becoming overly messy and gummy during dipping, start by dividing it evenly between two shallow bowls. Use one bowl for the first coating and the other only after the chicken has been dipped into the buttermilk.

4. To ensure chicken fries evenly without burning or becoming greasy, it is important to maintain the oil temperature as close to 350°F as possible at all times during the frying process. Use a deep-frying thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust the heat as necessary

5. For the best results, fry chicken in smaller batches and don’t crowd in the pan. As you finish each batch, drain on paper towels and place the fried pieces on a wire rack that has been set on a baking sheet; keep warm in a 300°F oven until ready to serve.

6. You can’t be sure your chicken is done inside just by looking at the outside. To be 100% certain, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it is done when breasts are 170°F and thighs and drumsticks are 175°F). Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken without touching bone. Bone conducts heat faster than meat, so if a thermometer is touching bone, the reading will be high and inaccurate.

MAKES: 1¾ cups TESTED BY: Sammy M.

CREAMY GRAVY

TASTING COMMENTS:

The type of drippings you use influences the flavor of your gravy. Bacon makes it it smoky; butter makes it rich and nutty.—SM

prep 50 minutes stand 20 minutes

  • 3 Tbsp. fried chicken drippings, butter, or bacon drippings
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1¾ cups milk
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ⅛ tsp. black pepper
  • Milk (optional)

1. In a large skillet heat fried chicken drippings, butter, or bacon drippings over medium heat. Stir in flour until mixture is smooth, bubbly, and starting to brown. Whisk in milk, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Cook and whisk 1 minute more. Reduce heat if gravy bubbles too hard. If desired, thin with additional milk.

TESTING NOTES

1. Fat adds flavor to gravy, and it’s important to use the amount called for in a recipe. Adding too much fat makes gravy greasy and adding too little yields bland, lackluster results. If you don’t have fried chicken drippings, you can substitute butter or bacon drippings.

2. After heating drippings in the skillet, add flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is bubbly and starts to turn a light golden brown. This step is important to prevent lumps. You’re coating the flour particles with fat, which keeps them separated and prevents them from clumping together.

3. When you add milk to the cooked flour mixture in the skillet, be sure to whisk constantly throughout the remaining cook time. The nonstop motion helps keep lumps from forming, and the heat ensures that the flour gets fully cooked—important for thickening and eliminating any raw flour taste. Don’t skip that last 1 minute of cook time—it’s the final step to ensure the starch grains in the flour swell and cause the gravy to thicken properly. The gravy is done when it starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.

4. Gravy can be made ahead and reheated. To reheat, in a medium saucepan cook and stir the gravy over medium-low heat 2 to 3 minutes. You might have to add a little more milk to make it smooth and creamy.

biscuits + gravy Prepare the Creamy Gravy as directed, except stir in 8 oz. cooked and drained bulk pork sausage. Serve over Flaky Biscuits (see recipe).

Creamy Gravy