Fried Chicken Recipe

In a medium saucepan combine 4 cups water, 2 tbs kosher salt, 1 tbs sugar, smashed garlic cloves and peppercorns. Warm just until salt and sugar dissolve, then remove from heat and add 1 cup ice to cool quickly. Chill until cold.

Place chicken pieces in a large bowl or resealable bag and pour cooled brine over them. Refrigerate 1–2 hours (or up to 4 hours for extra juiciness). Remove chicken from brine, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. If you skip brine, proceed with dry-salting lightly (about 1 tsp kosher salt) on chicken and rest 30 minutes.

Combine 2 cups buttermilk and 1 tbs hot sauce in a bowl. Submerge the patted-dry chicken in the buttermilk mixture, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. This tenderizes and flavors the meat. Remove chicken from fridge 20–30 minutes before frying to take the chill off.

Prepare coating

In a large bowl or shallow pan whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper and 1 tsp baking powder until evenly combined.

Optional egg wash

If using, beat 2 eggs with 2 tbs milk in a shallow bowl. This creates an additional layer for the flour to adhere to and yields a thicker crust.

Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, let excess drip off, then dredge in the seasoned flour, pressing the flour into the skin and crevices. For an extra-crispy double coating: dip the floured piece into the egg wash, then dredge again in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to build a good crust. Place coated pieces on a wire rack and let rest 10–15 minutes to set the coating.

Pour oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2–3 inches (approximately 1.2–1.5 L). Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 340–350°F (170–177°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of flour into the oil — it should sizzle immediately and rise slowly.

Fry chicken in batches without overcrowding so the oil temperature stays consistent. Gently lower pieces skin-side down first into the oil. Cook bone-in pieces about 12–15 minutes per side depending on size, flipping once, until coating is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Smaller pieces (wing/drumette) may take less time (8–10 minutes). Adjust heat to maintain oil between 325–350°F (163–177°C).

Use a spider or tongs to remove chicken and transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain. This keeps the crust crisp. Do not stack pieces on paper towels — that traps steam and softens the crust. While hot, sprinkle each piece lightly with fine salt and a little freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Let the chicken rest 5–10 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute and to finish cooking to safe temperature.