Fried Chicken Recipe

Prep chicken

If breasts are very thick, butterfly each or pound to an even 1/2-3/4-inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top bag.

Marinate

Whisk buttermilk with 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour over chicken, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Prepare dredge

In a wide bowl combine flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt. In a separate bowl whisk eggs with milk.

Dredge chicken

Heat oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C) over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dip into egg wash, then press into flour mixture, coating thoroughly. For extra-crisp crust, double-dip: return to egg, then flour again.

Fry

Carefully place chicken in hot oil, working in batches so oil temperature stays ~325–350°F. Fry until deep golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), about 4–6 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; keep warm in a 200°F oven while finishing remaining pieces.

While chicken fries, combine grated cheddar, softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, chopped pimentos, Dijon, optional hot sauce, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp kosher salt in a bowl. Mix until smooth and spreadable (use a spatula or electric mixer on low). Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.

To warm before serving (optional): place the pimento cheese in a heatproof dish and briefly warm in the oven at 350°F for 4–6 minutes until softened but not runny.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 12–18 minutes until crisp to your liking. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then chop or break into pieces for topping.

While chicken is marinating or frying, prepare collards: heat olive oil or 1–2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add sliced collards, chicken stock, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until greens are tender and most liquid has reduced, 12–18 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Place a bed of warm collard greens on each plate. Top each with a fried chicken breast. Spoon ~1/4–1/3 cup pimento cheese over each hot chicken breast; if you warmed the cheese slightly, it will soften and meld over the chicken.

Crumble or lay 2 slices of crisp bacon (or equivalent chopped pieces) over the pimento cheese. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with a lemon wedge on the side to squeeze over the chicken if desired.