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Dorothea's Brined-and-Battered Fried Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "Whiskey in a Teacup" by Reese Witherspoon


Recipe Introduction

"My grandmother made the best fried chicken. Going through family recipes, I found a tattered and splattered cookbook by Mrs. S. R. Dull called 'Southern Cooking' and inscribed 'Dorothea Witherspoon, May 14, 1942, Decatur, Georgia.' Inside was a recipe for fried chicken with cream gravy, along with several index cards in my grandmother's handwriting for other versions of fried chicken. This recipe blends them all and is a great match for the fried chicken she made. Soaking the chicken pieces overnight in buttermilk mixed with your favorite hot sauce boosts flavor and tenderness. (Hot sauce has quite a bit of sodium in it, so it acts as a brine.) Double this recipe for hearty eaters."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 pint buttermilk mixed with ¼ cup hot sauce (optional)
◦  One 1½- to 2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
◦  2 cups all-purpose flour
◦  1 tablespoon kosher salt
◦  1 tablespoon onion powder
◦  1 tablespoon garlic powder
◦  1 tablespoon hot paprika
◦  1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
◦  2 cups whole milk
◦  2 large eggs, beaten
◦  Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
◦  Creamy Gravy (optional; recipe follows)


Recipe

Pour the buttermilk-hot sauce mixture into a large zip-lock bag; add the chicken pieces, seal, and place the bag in the refrigerator to let the chicken soak for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours before frying.

Set the bag aside to come to room temperature at least 30 minutes before frying. Drain in a colander, discarding the brine.

Combine the flour, salt, onion and garlic powders, paprika, and pepper in a heavy-duty paper bag. Whisk the milk and eggs together in a shallow dish. Drop several of the chicken pieces into the bag of seasoned flour, seal, and shake to coat the pieces thoroughly. Open the bag and dip the floured pieces in the egg wash. Return them to the bag of flour and shake to coat again. Set them aside on a wire rack while you repeat the process with the remaining pieces — flour, egg wash, flour.

Heat at least 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 325° F on a frying or candy thermometer. Carefully slip the chicken breast pieces, skin side down, into the hot oil. The oil temperature will drop. Regulate the heat to maintain a temperature of 325° F. Cook the breasts for about 7 minutes without moving them. Turn and cook for 7 to 8 minutes more without disturbing them. The chicken is cooked when it reaches 160° F on an instant-read thermometer. Add the legs and thighs and fry, undisturbed, for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Maintain the temperature of the oil and fry the chicken until the meat is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 160° F.

Remove the fried chicken to a clean rack set over a paper towel-lined sheet pan to soak up excess grease. Season with salt and pepper while hot, if desired. If making the gravy, reserve 2 tablespoons of the grease from the frying pan. Serve the chicken warm or at room temperature.


Serves 4 to 6


Creamy Gravy:

◦  2 tablespoons grease from frying the chicken
◦  2 tablespoons butter
◦  ¼ cup all-purpose flour
◦  1 cup chicken stock
◦  1 cup heavy cream
◦  Kosher salt
◦  Freshly ground black pepper

Place 2 tablespoons hot grease from frying the chicken in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and, when the foam subsides, sprinkle the flour over the hot fat, whisking constantly, to make a roux. Cook until the roux is golden brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and cream. Stir until smooth and thickened, 5 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm gravy boat for serving.