Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Photo credit: Jody Horton, courtesy Chronicle Books
From Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week: Brown Sugar Kitchen
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
by Tanya Holland
Serves 4-6
When I was growing up, my mother fried chicken at least three times a week. She cooked it in a cast-iron skillet and always used vegetable shortening. The seasoned flour went into a paper bag. She’d drop the chicken pieces in and give them a good shake before frying. I took her fried chicken for granted, assuming it was what everyone was eating. Only later did I learn most of my friends only knew fried chicken as fast food. Years later, when I was working at a restaurant in Manhattan, I discovered a buttermilk-soaked version of fried chicken that rocked my world. That’s the way I’ve made it ever since. The buttermilk bath serves as a tenderizing brine that makes the chicken extra moist and flavorful. You’ll notice that I cook the chicken just until crisp in the frying pan and then transfer it to the oven to finish cooking. The skin stays crisp and I know for certain that the meat is cooked through all the way to the bone.
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. dried tarragon
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus 1 Tbsp.
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 Tbsp.
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
3½ lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup buttermilk
Canola or rice bran oil for deep-frying
1½ cups all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, combine the parsley, tarragon, onion powder, paprika, 2 tsp. salt, garlic powder, cayenne, 1 tsp. black pepper, oregano, and thyme. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Pour in the buttermilk, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large cast-iron frying pan, add oil to a depth of 3/4 in. and heat the oil to 350°F over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire rack on top.
In a large wide bowl, combine the flour, 1 Tbsp. salt, and 1 Tbsp. black pepper. One piece at a time and letting any excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl, transfer the chicken to the flour mixture. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
Fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan and turning occasionally, until crisp and browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the rack over the baking sheet to continue cooking in the oven until the internal temperature registers 165°F, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve immediately.
From the Yahoo Food Team: If you make this recipe at home, let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you!
