Princess Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly flour a cast-iron skillet.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined.

Cut cold cubed butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.

Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix; dough should be shaggy and slightly sticky.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, fold gently 3–4 times to bring it together. Pat or roll to about 1-inch thickness. Use a 2.5–3 inch round cutter and cut biscuits straight down (don’t twist) to preserve rise. Re-roll scraps once and cut remaining biscuits.

Place biscuits on prepared sheet about 1 inch apart (for crisp sides) or touching (for taller layers). Brush tops with heavy cream.

Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown and risen. Remove and brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Keep warm while you fry chicken.

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and, if thick, gently pound to even thickness about 1/2 inch. Pat dry with paper towel.

In a bowl or resealable bag combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight. This tenderizes and seasons the meat.

When ready to fry, remove chicken from fridge and let sit 15 minutes. Prepare the dredge: in a shallow bowl combine 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste) and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk to combine.

Remove each piece from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the chicken. For extra-crispy crust, return dredged pieces to the buttermilk briefly and dredge again in flour (double-dredge). Place on a wire rack while oil heats.

Heat 2 cups neutral oil in a heavy deep skillet or medium Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of flour: it should sizzle steadily but not burn immediately.

Fry chicken in batches without crowding, 6–8 minutes per side depending on thickness, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat to maintain 325–350°F so crust cooks through without burning. Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and stay crisp.

While chicken fries, make the spice oil: in a small saucepan combine 3 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup of the frying oil (about 2–3 tbs) over low heat until butter melts.

Stir in 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey (optional) and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Warm gently 1–2 minutes to bloom spices and dissolve sugar. Taste carefully (it's spicy) and adjust cayenne or honey to preference. Remove from heat.

Brush or spoon the hot glaze generously over each piece of fried chicken, both sides, while still hot so the oil and spice adhere and soak slightly into the crust. For extra heat, add an extra sprinkle of cayenne on top.

Split each warm biscuit horizontally. If desired, lightly toast cut sides in a pan or under broiler until just golden.

Place a piece of glazed hot chicken on the bottom half of the biscuit. Top with 1–2 tablespoons thinly sliced pickles.

Optional: drizzle 1 tablespoon of ranch or dill sauce on top of pickles for creaminess and to tame heat.

Cap with the biscuit top and press gently. Serve immediately while chicken is hot and biscuit is tender.