Buttermilk Southern Fried Chicken

Ingredients 

Spice Mix x 2 (mix in two different bowls):
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Buttermilk Brine:
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

1 tablespoon of salt

Spice Mix

Chicken:
1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces skin-on breasts, thighs, legs, drumsticks, and wings separated

Batter Mix:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder

Spice Mix

4 cups canola oil (or preferred cooking oil)

Instructions

Combine the paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork. (Do this twice.)

Whisk the buttermilk, egg, 1 table spoon of salt, and spice mixture in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss and turn to coat. Transfer the contents of the bowl to a gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag and refrigerate overnight, flipping the bag occasionally to redistribute the contents and coat the chicken evenly.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and second spice mixture in a large bowl. 

Remove one piece of chicken from the bag, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off, drop the chicken into the flour mixture, and toss to coat. Continue adding chicken pieces to the flour mixture one at a time until they are all in the bowl. Toss the chicken until every piece is thoroughly coated, pressing with your hands to get the flour to adhere in a thick layer.

Adjust an oven rack to the bottom position and preheat the oven to 275°F. Heat the oil to 425°F in a 12-inch straight-sided cast-iron pan.  Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature, being careful not to let the oil get any hotter.

One piece at a time, transfer the coated chicken to a fine-mesh strainer and shake to remove excess flour. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Once all the chicken pieces are coated, place skin side down in the cast iron pan. The temperature should drop to 300°F; adjust the heat to maintain the temperature at 300°F for the duration of the cooking. 

    Tip: Fry same size pieces together (wings pieces and leg - maybe a thigh) then breast and other thigh or                              

           both thighs. Make sure to give the chicken room and do not overcrowd them. 

Fry the chicken until it’s a deep golden brown on the first side, about 8 minutes; do not move the chicken or start checking for doneness until it has fried for at least 3 minutes, or you may knock off the coating. Carefully flip the chicken pieces with tongs and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 8 minutes longer. Remove once pieces register 165°F  on an instant-read thermometer. 

Transfer cooked chicken to a clean wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place chicken in the oven while the remaining pieces cook. Keeping them in the oven will keep them warm. Do not place them on paper towels as this will make them not crispy. 

Recipe was modified from Serious Eats.