Ingredients:

  • 1.4 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
  • 480 ml whole buttermilk
  • 15 ml kosher salt
  • 15 ml smoked paprika
  • 30 ml cayenne-based hot sauce
  • 375 g all-purpose flour
  • 65 g cornstarch
  • 10 g baking powder
  • 15 g garlic powder
  • 15 g onion powder
  • 10 g freshly cracked black pepper
  • 5 g cayenne pepper
  • 1.5 liters neutral frying oil

Instructions:

  1. Submerge chicken pieces in a mixture of buttermilk, salt, paprika, and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours to tenderize and season the meat.
  2. In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
  3. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of the buttermilk brine into the flour mixture and toss with a fork to create small, shaggy clumps for extra texture.
  4. Remove chicken from brine, letting excess drip off, and press firmly into the flour mixture until thoroughly coated in crags and nooks.
  5. Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken in batches for 12–15 minutes, maintaining an oil temperature of 300-325°F, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  6. Drain chicken on a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.