Tailgatin' Thursday: Confit Chicken Wings with Homemade Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel Sauce, Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dessing, + Italian-Style Shaved Carrot and Celery Slaw

Confit Chicken Wings with Homemade Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel Sauce, Buttermilk
Bleu Cheese Dessing, + Italian-Style Shaved Carrot and Celery Slaw

Tailgatin' Thursday is back and it's back with a bang, my friends!! I'm going to go ahead and tell y'all that this is an-honest-to-goodness-fancy-ass game day treat. Fried Chicken wings are a staple at any table on a Football Saturday. And it's not specific to any region. It is just good 'ole American comfort food at its' best. We don't feature many wing recipes around PLC, but when we do, it's always worth the effort. Wings are sometimes brined, most of the time coated with flour, and always deep fried in a vat of hot oil. What's not to love? Well then, how could these be any different from all the others, you may ask. Y'all, the answer is simple, and that is they are CONFIT CHICKEN WINGS. We are lovers, cough cough, obsessors of duck confit or anything confit (if we're gonna get technical). So, when I ordered a confit duck leg at one of our favorite local sandwich places, Muss + Turner's. It just suddenly clicked... I wonder if I could do this with chicken wings. I am positively, genuinely, and overwhelmingly happy to report that this oddity of an idea is completely + utterly deep fried perfection. To make cooking easier, we did most of the work the day before (a.k.a Friday afternoon and night), so that we wouldn't have much to do while the games were on. This meant we needed to place all the chicken into a deep pot, place it on the stove, cover with canola oil, and slowly bring it up to 200 degrees. Then you place it into a preheated oven to cook for roughly an hour. This will cook the meat, slowly but surely, making them super moist on the inside, yet leaving the skin slightly flabby + soft, rendering out a bunch of excess fat that isn't even needed. THIS IS A GOOD THING DO NOT FEAR.

the wings after slow-cooking in their big pot of oil, see the excess fat at the top??

After slow-cooking, remove the wings from the hot oil and drain on paper towels, making sure to remove access moisture and oil as much as possible. I actually let my wings sit on the paper towels at room temperature for about an hour or so to cool down a bit and aid in draining. Then y'all just pop those suckers into a container and refrigerate overnight. This is possibly the most important step in the entire recipe because, technically, you should be able to fry the wings after about an hour or two of resting & drying, BUT DON'T. When I did this, my wing skin just never ever ever ever got crispy. I believe it is was due to the fact that there was still so much leftover moisture. Now that the wings are-a-chillin', it's time to make the BEST part of the whole-damn-dish, and that's the Homemade Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel. Yes, I didn't mess that up... sriracha. caramel. bourbon. sea salt. All in one sauce. We were literally drooling over this concoction; our minds were racing with ideas of how to use it next (sriracha caramel over pumpkin ice cream... apple cider floats with sriracha caramel... sriracha caramel apple pie). This shit is gonna get weird. But, weird in a good way, believe you me. It's a salty-sweet-boozy goodness that must be kept in your fridge at all times, and if not, at least it should be made for these wings. 

homemade sriracha-bourbon caramel wing sauce + confit chicken wings (pre-cornstarch)

Making the caramel is a cinch; however, I certainly recommend whipping it up while the wings are in the oven because it will be that much easier on you the next day... just make sure you refrigerate it as well. The last step of preparation is totally up to you and that's the making of the Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dressing. It's is overly easy to prepare as well and letting the flavors meld for a little bit ain't neva hurt a thang, butter bean. OKAY OKAY, enough about the prepping, now onto the next day (a.k.a. Football Saturday). Pull the chilled wings out and once again dry as much as possible, and then toss them in a light coating of cornstarch. Bring the 1Q of Peanut Oil to 400 degrees that way the wings will get finger-lickin'-skin-pickin' crispy. 

deep frying, the south's favorite, and most famous, past time

While the wings are frying in the golden goodness that is oil, it's time to make the caramel sauce that will coat the wings. I simmered the prepared caramel, Asian chili-garlic sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter until a cohesive sauce was made and it was thick enough to coat a wing. I left the amount of spice + butter up to you, as we are so spicy-friendly that we tend to overdo it. So add a little bit of chili-garlic sauce and red pepper flakes at a time, tasting to your preference. If it does get a little too spicy, add a little more butter. If I could share one tidbit of life advice with you, it would be not to be afraid of butter, it's the elixir of life. Toss the fried confit chicken wings in your extra-special-it-should-only-be-used-on-special-occasions-it-is-so-good caramel sauce and garnish them with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of red pepper flakes. 

fried + sauced + tossed

resist the temptation to gobble these down before you can even plate them

Serve the wings with some of the Homemade Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dressing to cool the wings down a bit. And if one fancy ass twist on the original isn't enough, I decided to revamp the whole boring "side of carrot and celery sticks" into a slaw. I shaved carrots and celery, minced green onion, and then tossed it in a light vinaigrette. It is the perfect acidic component to partner up against the decadent wings and rich dressing. To seal the deal, I got a "these are the best wings I've ever had in my whole life" outta my Mountain Man. And that's one hell of a stamp of approval, y'all!! Enjoy :)

up close + personal of the fancy "carrot + celery stick" slaw

For the Homemade Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel:

1C Sugar + ¼C Water

½C Heavy Cream + 3T Sriracha Sauce

1T Bourbon

Heavy Pinch of Salt 

For the Confit Chicken Wings:

4lbs Chicken Wings + Drumsticks

2Q Canola Oil + 1Q Peanut Oil

Cornstarch, For Coating (after chilling)

For the Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel Wing Sauce:

1C Homemade Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel (room temperature)

1-2T Asian Chili-Garlic Sauce

½t-1t Red Pepper Flakes (depending on how hot your like it)

4-8T Unsalted Butter (the more better you add, the less spicy it will be as well)

For the Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dressing:

½C Homemade Mayo + ¼C Sour Cream

2T Buttermilk Powder + 1T Well-Shaken Buttermilk

2T White Wine Vinegar

¼t Worcestershire Sauce

1t Sugar  

¼t Garlic Powder + Onion Powder

1T Fresh Chives + Fresh Dill

½C Crumbled Buttermilk Blue Cheese

 

For the Italian-Style Shaved Carrot and Celery Slaw:

½C Shaved Carrots (using a vegetable peeler)           

½C Shaved Celery (using a vegetable peeler)

1 Green Onion, Minced

2T White Wine Vinegar

1T Olive Oil

1T Sugar

¼t Dried Oregano + Dried Basil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Confit Chicken Wings: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 225°F. Place 2Q canola oil and chicken wings in a large oven-safe Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it registers 200°F on an instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until chicken wings are tender but not browned, 40 minutes to 1 hour (chicken should be tender but not falling apart). Remove pot from oven. Transfer chicken with a wire mesh spider to a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow chicken to rest in the fridge, covered, overnight or for at least 12 hours.

2. Making the Homemade Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel: Simmer sugar and ¼ cup water on medium heat, swirling pan (NOT stirring) for about 15 minutes, or until a deep amber color is reached. During that time, whisk together the heavy cream and Sriracha sauce until smooth and incorporated. Then turn off burner, remove from heat and slowly add Sriracha cream while stirring. Add pinch of salt and bourbon and place back on still-warm burner for another minute while stirring. Transfer to a heat-safe dish or bottle and let cool. Store covered in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature or heat in a warm water bath before using (if needed).

3. For the Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dressing: Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk powder, and buttermilk in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir in vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, seasonings, and herbs until well blended. Fold in cheese. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Frying the Wings: Once the wings have chilled, lightly coat them in cornstarch, making sure to shake off any excess. Meanwhile, heat the 1Q of peanut oil in a deep fryer to 400°F. Carefully add the wings, in small batches, and cook until golden brown + extra crispy, about 10-12 minutes (depending on your fryer). While the wings fry prepare your sauce.

5. For the Sriracha-Bourbon Caramel Wing Sauce:  When ready to serve, combine caramel, chili-garlic sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and immediately toss the hot, crispy wings in the sauce until they are completely coated.

6. For the Italian-Style Shaved Carrot and Celery Slaw: In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the shaved carrots, shaved celery, and minced green onion. In a small bowl or Mason jar, whisk or shake together the vinegar, oil, sugar, and seasonings until fully incorporated. Right before serving, toss the slaw with the vinaigrette until coated. Serve on the side with the wings.

7. Serving: Place the wings onto a serving plate and drizzle over any excess or leftover caramel for extra flavor. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and red pepper flakes on top for garnish. Spoon some of the homemade bleu cheese dressing onto the plate and finish with a pile of the slaw. Enjoy while the wings are still hot and crispy!!

source: homemade blue cheese dressing.

Read. To. EATTTTTTT :)

Pok Pok Lacquered Fried Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches with Crispy Garlic, Homemade Red Rooster Aioli, Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw, Fresh Cilantro, & Buttered Brioche Buns

Pok Pok Lacquered Fried Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches with Crispy Garlic, Homemade Red Rooster Aioli,
Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw, Fresh Cilantro, & Buttered Brioche Buns

Sandwiches are like love stories, or I think they are. They're lovey-dovey kind of stuff. Have y'all seen that Zaxby's commercial where she loves one of their zalads salads so much that she married it? It's completely plausible in my book, but if I'm going to marry anything it's either going to be a sandwich or chocolate of some sort. If my Mountain Man were to be a sandwich, I would want him to be a fancy fried chicken sandwich with a yummy coleslaw + toasted bun or a Banh Mi. So, if we're gonna talk marriage, we might as well marry the two together, and that's exactly what I did. Wayyyyyy back in March, I made caramel glazed pork belly banh mi's and my my, they were mighty fine. One of the best things I've concocted between two pieces of bread, so I wanted to use a few elements for my fried chicken version. The homemade red rooster aioli is a must, for anything really. And I knew that I wanted the chicken glazed or drizzled with a sweet + sticky sauce and I eventually decided on adapting this recipe. It worked out perfectly. After you batter & fry the chicken cutlets, you make a caramel with fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, etc. And then dunk them into this asian caramel a few times until they are thoroughly coated + extra sticky. Instead of a simple sauce or dip, this gives the chicken a lacquered finish. If you didn't know already, any time food is lacquered, it pretty much means it looks like liquid gold. Brilliant. All that was left was a simple garnish of crispy minced garlic rounds out the flavor and gives it a tad more crunch. Between the buttered brioche bun, spicy aioli, lacquered chicken, and fresh cilantro, these are sure to become a household favorite. 

lacquered + topped with crispy garlic chips

place it on a buttered brioche with a slather of aioli

the sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw is the best part

don't forget a whole lot of fresh cilantro

oh my, you're gonna demolish it

homemade red rooster aioli

The best part? Oh by far, the sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw. This will be a go-to side this summer... and I especially can't wait to adapt it with BBQ inspired flavors for pulled pork sandwiches. All you do is toss a big mess of coleslaw with homemade sriracha-bread n' butter pickles, candied jalapenos, and spicy taco pickles along with some of their pickling liquid, and you've got the best vinaigrette coleslaw you could ever imagine. 

sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw

If you don't have all those pickles around like I do, then you could surely make do with what you have in the pantry... as long as they are asian-inspired & flavored. I let the mixture marinate for an hour or so, that way the flavors could marry together. All that is left is plopping a big scoopful on top of the chicken, and it's done. Or you could be like us and eat half of the coleslaw out of the mixing bowl before the sandwich is even finished. True story. These sandwiches are so damn good... you might just marry them. Just like us!! Enjoy :)

For the Marinated Chicken Cutlets:

4 Thin Chicken Cutlets (pounded out lightly)

1C Hot Water

2 Cloves of Garlic, Roughly Chopped

1C Sugar

½C Fish Sauce + Soy Sauce

Pinch of Cinnamon

¼t Salt

1 Star Anise Pod or Seed

For the Homemade Red Rooster Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

1 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

½t Salt

¾C Canola Oil

2T Asian Chili-Garlic Sauce

½t Cayenne

½t Homemade Sriracha Cajun Seasoning 

For the Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw:

4C Coleslaw Mix or Thinly Sliced Cabbage

2 Jalapenos, Thinly Sliced (optional)

1 Bunch of Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

½C Homemade Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickles + ¼C of the Pickling Liquid

1C Homemade “Taco Pickles” + 2T of the Pickling Liquid

½C Homemade Candied Jalapenos + 2T of the Candied Liquid

For the Coleslaw Dressing:

¼C Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickling Liquid (reserved from earlier)

2T “Taco Pickles” Pickling Liquid (reserved from earlier)

2T Candied Jalapeno Liquid (reserved from earlier)

1T Sesame Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Crispy Fried Chicken:

2C AP Flour

¼C + 2T Cornstarch

1t Chinese Five Spice Powder

Marinated Chicken Cutlets

½C Panko Breadcrumbs 

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

1C Buttermilk

Peanut Oil, For Frying

To Make the Pok Pok Lacquering Caramel:

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1T Fresh Ginger, Minced

2T Vegetable Oil

¼C Fish Sauce + ¼C Soy Sauce 

¼C Sugar + ¼C Honey

¼C Chili-Garlic Sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)

Fried Minced Garlic, For Garnishing

For the Banh Mi Sandwiches:

Buttered Brioche Buns, Warmed

Pok Pok Lacquered-Crispy Fried Chicken Cutlets, Hot

Prepared Red Rooster Aioli

Prepared Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw

Fresh Cilantro Sprigs

Directions:

1. For the Marinated Chicken Cutlets: In a small bowl, steep the crushed garlic and salt with the hot water for roughly 5 minutes. After waiting, whisk in the fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar until all of it is completely mixed and the sugar has dissolved. Let this mixture cool completely before marinating the cutlets (I let mine chill in the refrigerator until cold). Once the marinade is cold, place the chicken cutlets into a plastic bag (or large container) and pour the cold marinade over the chicken, tossing to coat completely. Marinate them for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight to enhance the flavor and juiciness (making sure you toss the wings occasionally throughout the process, so that they are evenly covered). Once the wings have marinated for your desired time, remove the chicken from the liquid and completely pat them dry of any excess liquid.

2. For the Red Rooster Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with Asian chili-garlic sauce, sugar, cayenne, and Sriracha Cajun seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

3. For the Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the jalapenos, green onions, Sriracha pickles, taco pickles, candied jalapenos, and the dressing components. Add the coleslaw mixture and season with salt & pepper. Toss to cover and combine, and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

4. For the Crispy Fried Chicken: Pour about 1 inch of peanut oil into a large heavy skillet and heat to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, panko, five-spice powder, salt, and pepper in a dish. Pour the buttermilk into another dish. Working with 1 marinated chicken cutlet at a time, dredge them into the flour mixture, shaking off the excess, and then dip them into the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drop off. Dredge back into the flour mixture again, shaking one last time. Fry the chicken cutlets until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with salt. Now, it’s time to make the lacquering caramel.

5. To Make the Pok Pok Lacquering Caramel: In a wok, heat the 2T oil to medium heat and add in the minced garlic, cooking them until golden brown without burning them, about 2-3 minutes (keep a close eye because burnt garlic tastes awful). Remove the fried garlic from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain it on a paper towel, while you make the caramel. In the oiled wok, bring the pan to medium heat and add in the ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. As the sugar begins to melt, the mixture will start to thicken up into a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Once it starts to thicken, whisk in the honey and chili-garlic sauce until smooth and thick (don’t let the sauce unattended because it will burn). Add in the fried cutlets and toss in the sauce until they are coated and sticky.

6. Assembling the Sandwiches: Generously spread the buttered brioche buns with the Homemade Red Rooster Aioli. Layer on the pok pok lacquered-crispy fried chicken cutlets, sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw, and sprigs of fresh cilantro. Top the sandwiches with the top piece of the bun, and enjoy immediately!

Crispy "Chicken Fried" Chicken Skins with Homemade "Wrecked Junction" Hot Sauce

Crispy "Chicken Fried" Chicken Skins with Homemade "Wrecked Junction" Hot Sauce

We all love fried chicken... and if you don't well you're either A. lying to yourself or B. un-American. That might be a little drastic, but us Southerners live + die by our fried chicken recipes. It's practically a religion. Any who, I'm gonna be the first one that will put this out there, the main reason why fried chicken is so coveted is because of the crispy, juicy, evil, bootyliciously yummy chicken skins. There aren't make things that are more satisfying the fried chicken skin; it'd certainly be at the top of my list. So, why not skip over the whole boring meat situation and skip right to the goodies... CRISPY "CHICKEN FRIED" CHICKEN SKINS. This really is the best thang since fried chicken or potato chips or sliced bread (pick + choose from the list that applies to your childhood). These are the perfect little Southern appetizer without all the hassle of frying bone-in chicken for a couple hours. All you need is a bunch of skin-on chicken breasts, so that you can peel off the skins to marinate. The leftover meat from the skins was used for other recipes throughout the week... no need to waste here, people! The skins are soaked in buttermilk & hot sauce (just like most fried chicken recipes) and coated in my favorite "nibblet" dredging flour. Then, they are plopped into hot peanut oil and fried to golden brown perfection and sprinkled with just the smallest bit of salt and fresh cracked pepper. We served ours with our new favorite "wrecked junction" hot sauce, but a drizzle of fancy infused honey or sorghum molasses would be excellent for a sweet twist!! This is my heaven people... chicken skins, perfectly fried, and crispy with lots of "nibblets". Enjoy until you're heart gives out, literally!! Enjoy :)

perfect nibblet achievement.

don't forget to dip!! 

Marinating the Chicken Skins:

12-15 Chicken Skins (cut off of chicken breasts since they tend to be thinner & flatter)

1C Buttermilk

¼C-½C Hot Sauce 

For the Crispy Breading:

2C Self Rising Flour (AP Flour can be substituted)

½C Cornstarch

½t Ground Thyme, Garlic Powder, & Cayenne

Salt & Pepper, To Tasted

¼C Buttermilk (to be used in the last step)

For the Chicken Fried Chicken Skins:

Marinated Chicken Skins

Crispy Breading

Peanut Oil, For Frying

Homemade “Wrecked Junction” Hot Sauce, For Dipping

Honey, For Drizzling (optional)

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Marinating the Chicken Skins: Using a sharp knife or your hands peel of the skins from the meat (keeping the chicken to be roasted or used in a different recipe altogether). Use the backside of the knife or a dull butter knife to scrape off any excess pieces or clumps of fat. If you would like the skins in a bite size shape, cut them in half. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce. Place the chicken skins into the buttermilk marinade, making sure they are completely covered. Marinate the skins for at least 12 hours or overnight.

2. Prepping: Once it has marinated, remove it from the refrigerator, drain & dry off the buttermilk brine. Meanwhile, heat the peanut oil in a deep fryer or skillet to 375 degrees.

3. Breading the Chicken Skins: In a brown paper bag, combine the flour, cornstarch, thyme, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Shake the dried chicken skins in the flour mixture and get rid of the excess flour from the chicken, and then place them into the same buttermilk marinade you used previously. Dip the chicken into the wet batter and let the excess batter drip off.  Right before you are ready to fry, drizzle in some of the excess buttermilk into your breading flour mixture. Using a whisk or a fork, stir it around and mash up the larger pieces of flour chunks to form chicken “nibblets” or extra crispy pieces of batter. Finally dredge the skins in the remaining “nibblet” flour and coat them well. Gently shake off anything excess, but don’t waist no “nibblets”, ya hear!

4. Frying the Skins: Place the coated chicken skins into the preheated oil and fry until crispy and golden brown, anywhere from 2-5 minutes, depending on the size of the skins. Remove from the crispy skins from the oil and let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with the remaining chicken skins.

5. Serving the Crispy “Chicken Fried” Chicken Skins: Place the crispy chicken skins onto a serving plate with homemade “wrecked junction” hot sauce for dipping!

Revamped : The Best Fried Chicken I've Ever Made (part two)

Revamped: The Best Fried Chicken I've Ever Made (part two)

So, I went about ranting + raving for actually pulling off southern fried chicken to relative success, but I knew I would soon revamp the recipe to make it better... and um, yeah SO much better. I switched up quite a few things and I'm super glad I did. I simplified the battering technique, because sometimes less is really more, and that never happens around this joint. I bumped the spices by adding a little sugar, ground mustard, and ground thyme. Thyme pairs amazingly with chicken, trust me on this. The wet batter dip is thinned out and is spicier than usual, which we obviously love. But, that is always up to personal preference. I found out that self-rising flour is great for frying chicken, who knew?!? I added a little cornstarch for extra crunch and a little thing that we like to call "chicken nibblets". These crunchy nuggets are a mix between heaven + hell and hold onto your hips for dear life, but heck, enjoy the ride while ya can because it's totally worth it :) All that's left is frying it in a ratty-ole cast iron skillet that's deep with bad-good fat (bad as in unhealthy, good as in super tasty). I bought lard this time, but threw in some bacon fat and duck fat, juz'cuz I could. You know, a good southern woman always has that to go to in the freezer. Oh and PS, check out my next post for slammin' spicy hot sauce!! Enjoy :)

For the Brine:

8C Lukewarm Water

1C Sugar & Kosher Salt (each)

5-6lbs Chicken Wings, Drumsticks, & Thighs (we like a mixture of only dark meat really)

For the Dry Rub:

1T Fresh Cracked Pepper

1 ½t Paprika & Ground Mustard

¾t Cayenne & Granulated Sugar

1t Garlic Powder & Onion Powder

Prepared Brined Chicken, Completely Dried

For the Flour Coating:

3 ¾C Self Rising Flour (AP Flour can be substituted)

½C + 2T Cornstarch

1t Ground Thyme

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Prepared Dry Rubbed Chicken

¼-½C Buttermilk (to be used in the last step of the breading process) 

For the Wet Batter Dip:

1C Buttermilk

½C Water & Milk

¼-½C Hot Sauce (depending on your heat preference)

For the Fried Chicken:

Brined, Seasoned, & Coasted Chicken Pieces

Fat, For Frying (Peanut Oil, Vegetable Shortening, or Lard for this… even a mix of each one)

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Honey, Hot Sauce, Pepper Vinegar, or Maple Syrup, For Serving

Directions:

1. For the Brine: Place the chicken into a large Ziploc bag. Combine the water, sugar, and salt in large bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour the brine over the chicken and refrigerate for 4-12 hours. Once brined, drain & dry the chicken, and then set aside.

2. For the Dry Rub: Whisk together all of the seasonings until combined. Rub this mixture all over the dried, brined chicken until completely coated. Place the chicken into a bowl, cover, and chill overnight. Once the chicken has marinated, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

3. For the Coating: In a brown paper bag, combine the flour, cornstarch, thyme, salt, and pepper. Shake the rubbed chicken in the flour mixture and get rid of  the excess flour from the chicken, and then place them into baking dish that has the mixed combination of buttermilk, hot sauce, and milk/water. Dip the chicken into the wet batter and let the excess batter drip off.  Right before you are ready to fry, drizzle in some of the excess buttermilk into your breading flour mixture. Using a whisk or a fork, stir it around and mash up the larger pieces of flour chunks to form chicken “nibblets” or extra crispy pieces of batter. Finally dredge it in the remaining “nibblet” flour and coat them well. Gently shake off anything excess, but don’t waist no “nibblets”, ya hear!

4. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or cast iron skillet to 350 degrees (we prefer cast iron skillets).

5. Frying the Chicken: Fry the chicken until they are a deep golden brown and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes (possibly longer if you’re chicken is larger, just make sure the juice runs clear, if not, refry or keep warm in the oven to bring them to temperature). Once they are fried, remove them to a wire rack or a plate of paper towels to drain, sprinkle with a little salt & pepper, and keep the chicken warm until ready to serve. Serve with Jack Daniels Maple Syrup, Fresh Serrano Hot Sauce, or Red Pepper Flake Infused Honey… or ya know, some delicious buttermilk waffles.