Ingredients
- 4 cups (560g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
For the wet mixture
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot sauce, like Tabasco or
Frank’s
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the fried chicken
- 10 boneless, skinless large
chicken thighs (or 3 chicken breasts, see note above)
- Oil for frying, like peanut
For the spicy paste
- 1/2 cup used frying oil
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 to 6 tablespoons cayenne pepper,
depending on your heat preference
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar,
depending on your sweetness preference
- 1 teaspoon chili powder blend
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Method
1.
Make the dredging station and prepare baking sheet:
You will need two
large shallow dishes. One for the dry ingredients and one for the wet
ingredients.
In the first
shallow dish, use a whisk to combine the flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt
and pepper.
In the second
shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, eggs, and salt. Place a
piece of parchment paper or wax paper on a large baking sheet.
Arrange them on
your counter dry, wet, baking sheet.
2. Dredge and dip the chicken:
Dredge a piece of chicken
in the dry flour mixture, making sure to flip the chicken to coat both sides.
Dip the chicken in
the wet buttermilk mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Letting the excess
drain off. Dip the chicken back into the flour mixture again, coating both
sides. Move to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the
chicken.
Let the chicken
rest while you heat the oil in the next step. This will help the coating adhere
to the chicken.
3. Heat the oil to 350°F:
Pour enough oil
into a large deep skillet or Dutch oven (at least 3-inches tall) so the oil
depth is at least 2-inches deep.
Heat the oil on
high until it reaches 350°F. If you don’t have an instant read thermometer or
deep frying/candy thermometer, drop a 1-inch cube of bread in the oil. If it
goes golden brown in about 45 seconds, you’re at the right temperature
4. Fry the chicken:
Once the oil is hot enough, gently slide two
or three pieces of the chicken into the pan using tongs. Use your tongs to
place half the chicken in the oil, then release it so it slides the rest of the
way in. If you drop the chicken in the skillet, it’s more likely to splatter
the oil and potentially burn you.
Fry the chicken for
about 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting the heat lower or higher to maintain 350°F. Be
sure to flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time to ensure even
cooking. The chicken will be done when it is golden brown, and the internal
temperature of the chicken is 165°F (160°F for white meat).
Once done, move the
fry pieces to a wire rack placed on a baking sheet or a plate lined with paper
towels to drain. Repeat with the rest of the chicken, frying in batches.
5. Let oil cool:
When all the
chicken is finished, let the oil cool down for 5 to 10 minutes. You will need
some of it to make the spicy paste.
6. Make the spicy paste:
Place the butter in
medium sized microwave-safe glass bowl. Carefully ladle and measure out 1/2 cup
of the hot oil and pour it over the butter. Stir to help the butter melt. If
the butter hasn’t melted, cover the bowl and microwave the mixture in 10 second
increments until the butter is melted.
Add the cayenne
pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt,
and pepper to the bowl, then stir to form a paste. The paste will be vary in
texture, depending on how much cayenne and brown sugar you use, with more spice
and sugar creating a thicker paste.
You want the paste
to be similar to thin BBQ sauce, something you can easily brush on but is still
thick enough to cling to the chicken. I used 4 tablespoons of cayenne and 1
tablespoon of brown sugar. You can adjust the thickness by adding more oil if
you need.
7. Assemble and serve the sandwich:
Place one piece of
chicken on the bottom of a burger bun. Brush the chicken with the spicy paste,
making sure to coat the entire piece of chicken. Garnish with some pickles and
then top with the bun. Serve immediately.
|
(NUTRITION FACTS(PER SERVING) |
|
|
712 |
CALORIES |
|
44g |
FAT |
|
40g |
CARBS |
|
41g |
PROTEIN |