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Easier Fried Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "Cook It In Cast Iron" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Juicy, crisp bone-in fried chicken is a cast iron classic. We wanted to come up with a foolproof recipe that would ensure chicken with a moist, perfectly seasoned interior and a super-crunchy crust. To start, we brined the chicken in salted buttermilk to infuse it with moisture and flavor. For a perfectly crunchy coating, we combined flour with a little baking powder and some seasonings, then added more buttermilk to make a thick slurry that would cling to the meat. Four cups of oil (instead of the usual 12) was all that was needed to get a perfect light brown crust on our whole batch of chicken. Then to finish cooking we moved the shallow-fried pieces to a hot oven (perched on a wire rack set in a sheet pan to prevent burnt spots and promote air circulation around the meat). This hybrid method gave us perfectly crisp, evenly cooked results that were even better than deep-fried. We got all the benefits of frying without any danger of burnt coating or undercooked chicken. Any combination of chicken pieces will work well here; just be sure the total amount equals 2 ½ pounds. You will need a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with at least 2-inch sides for this recipe. Don't let the chicken soak in the buttermilk brine for longer than 1 hour or it will be too salty. Covering the skillet with a splatter screen will reduce the mess that frying inevitably makes."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
â—¦ Salt and pepper
â—¦ 1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
â—¦ 1 ¼ teaspoons paprika
â—¦ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 2 ½ pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half, drumsticks, and/or thighs), trimmed
â—¦ 2 cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ 4 cups peanut or vegetable oil


Recipe

Whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne together in large bowl. Add chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, 2 teaspoons pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 teaspoon garlic powder, remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, and remaining ¼ teaspoon cayenne together in large bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup buttermilk and rub into flour mixture using your hands until evenly incorporated and small clumps form. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge in flour mixture, pressing gently to adhere, then transfer to large plate.

Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Add oil to 12-inch cast-iron skillet until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees.

Carefully place half of chicken skin side down in oil. Fry until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through frying. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 350 and 375 degrees. Transfer chicken to prepared rack. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken; transfer to prepared rack.

Bake chicken until breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, 12 to 18 minutes. Serve.

Serves 4