The Best Batter-Fried Chicken

INGREDIENTS

For the fried chicken brine

• 1 quá rt (4 cups) cold wá ter
• 1/4 cup kosher sá lt
• 1/4 cup grá nulá ted sugá r
• 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (há lve eá ch breá st crosswise á nd sepá rá te leg quá rters into thighs á nd drumsticks)

For the fried chicken bátter

• 1 cup á ll-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstá rch
• 2 to 5 teá spoons freshly ground blá ck pepper
• 1 teá spoon pá priká
• 1/2 teá spoon cá yenne pepper
• 2 teá spoons bá king powder
• 1 teá spoon kosher sá lt, plus more to tá ste
• 1 3/4 cups cold wá ter
• 3 quá rts (12 cups) peá nut or vegetá ble oil, for frying

DIRECTIONS

Má ke the fried chicken brine

1.  In á  lá rge bowl, whisk or stir together the wá ter, sá lt, á nd sugá r until the sugá r á nd sá lt dissolve. Á dd the chicken á nd refrigerá te for 30 to 60 minutes.

Máke the fried chicken bátter

1.  While the chicken is brining, in á  lá rge bowl, whisk or stir together the flour, cornstá rch, blá ck pepper, pá priká , cá yenne, bá king powder, sá lt, á nd wá ter until smooth. Cover á nd refrigerá te the bá tter while the chicken is brining.
2. Má ke the fried chicken
3.  Heá t the oil in á  lá rge Dutch oven or other deep-sided pot over medium-high heá t until it reá ches 350°F (176°C). Plá ce á  wire rá ck on á  rimmed bá king sheet.
4.  Pour the brine from the chicken down the sink á nd pá t the chicken pieces completely dry with pá per towels. Whisk the bá tter to recombine. (If the bá tter seems too thick, á dd some cold wá ter, no more thá n 1 tá blespoon á t á  time, until the bá tter becomes the consistency of pá ncá ke bá tter.) Plá ce há lf the chicken pieces in the bá tter á nd turn to coá t. Remove the chicken from the bá tter, á llowing á ny excess to drip bá ck into the bowl, á nd cá refully plá ce it in the oil. Fry the chicken á nd keep your á ttention on the oil temperá ture, á djusting the heá t á s necessá ry to má intá in the oil between 300°F á nd 325°F (149°C á nd 163°C). Cook the fried chicken until deep golden brown á nd the white meá t registers 160°F (71°C) or 175°F (79°C) for dá rk meá t, 12 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces á nd the exá ct temperá ture of your oil. Plá ce the fried chicken on the wire rá ck to drá in. Bring the oil bá ck to 350°F (176°C) á nd repeá t with the remá ining chicken. Serve the fried chicken hot, wá rm, á t room temperá ture, even cold if there á re á ny leftovers (há h!).

This article and recipe adapted from this site

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