Chef Nicole (Inspired by St. Augustine, Florida)
Serves 4
One of the most valuable culinary lessons I took with me after having the pleasure of living and working down South was how to “properly” fry chicken. The cooks at the Aviles Restaurant at the Hilton Historic Bayfront in St. Augustine, Florida told me the secret to achieving the characteristic crunch of fried chicken—“It’s all in the cornstarch!” I’ve added the rice flour for the same effect and found that this recipe “yields” happy customers every time!
Story by Nicole Roarke
1 whole chicken (cut into 8 pieces)
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup rice flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1 teaspoon paprika (optional)
2 eggs
Fryer oil (See Chef’s Tips on blended oil, this page)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Place chicken parts into a large bowl and cover with buttermilk. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight.
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Remove chicken from buttermilk, reserve buttermilk, and place chicken into a separate container.
Begin dredging the chicken by coating one piece at a time in the dry flour mixture, making sure to fully coat each piece. Shake off any additional flour and lay chicken onto a sheet tray. Whisk eggs into reserved buttermilk. One at a time, dip chicken pieces into the buttermilk and egg mixture then dredge the chicken pieces, one at a time, into the dry flour mixture for a second time. Lay fully coated/battered chicken on a sheet tray. Place chicken into the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes so coating adheres.
While chicken is resting in the refrigerator, pour the fryer oil into a deep fryer (or deep sauce pot on the stove top), then heat over medium-high heat. After 30 minutes remove the chicken from the refrigerator and set aside. Once the fryer oil has reached 350°F to 375°F, begin frying the chicken a few pieces at a time (be sure not to overcrowd the pot). The fried chicken should be golden brown and crunchy on the surface before removing from the oil with a fryer basket, spider, or slotted spoon. Lay each piece onto a sheet tray. Be sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F; if not, then bake in a 400°F oven until fully cooked. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.