This recipe, from my old sous chef Mitch SuDock, makes the best fried chicken ever. We used to make brined pork at JUdson Grill, and he started using the brine to make fried chicken for our nightly staff meal. The benefit of brine is that the batter keeps the seasoning from penetrating the meat, but the brine works its way in. Keep a close eye on the thermometer when frying; try to maintain a temperature of 300°F, which will cook the chicken through without burning the exterior.
Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
Fried chicken:
Brine:
Preparation
For fried chicken:
Step 1
1. Put the chicken in a glass baking dish and pour the brine over the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
Step 2
2. Remove the chicken from the brine, remove any peppercorns stuck to the skin, and let the chicken dry slightly on a wire rack while preparing the buttermilk and flour.
Step 3
3. In a large bowl, stir together the buttermilk with 1 tablespoon of the salt. In another large bowl, stir together the flour with the remaining salt and spices.
Step 4
4. Dredge the chicken 4 pieces at a time in the flour. Transfer to the buttermilk, gently shaking the bowl to coat the chicken. Transfer the chicken back to the flour, being careful not to scrape off the batter. Gently shake the bowl to coat the chicken with flour, then transfer the pieces to a wire rack, again being careful not to scrape off the batter. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken and let dry on the wire rack for 30 minutes.
Step 5
5. Pour the oil into a 5-quart pot and heat it to a temperature of 350°F. Cook the white and dark meat separately over medium heat. The oil will cool to about 300°F after adding the chicken; this is the correct heat for cooking the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 10 minutes for white meat and 12 minutes for dark meat. If the chicken gets too dark, lower the heat. Drain on a wire rack and repeat with remaining chicken. Serve hot or cold.
For brine:
Step 6
Pour 4 cups cold water into a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, salt, bay leaf, peppercorns, and coriander seeds. Allow to cool completely.
Chicken skin should be clean with no drying and no odor. It shouldn't look of feel slimy. Do not use a wooden cutting board for chicken; I have a plastic board at home that I use only for meat and poultry, and I recommend that you do the same. Be sure to wash your cutting board thoroughly after cutting chicken.
Leave a Review
Reviews (46)
Back to TopIt clearly states 4 cups of water! Very good I've brined chicken for years.
katesnave8663
Texas
8/2/2021
WAY TOO SALTY. OMMAGOD. I have to remove the crust and use the chicken in a soup now or throw it all out. I should have know something was wrong when there are missing recipe instructions such as the amount of water and odd ingredient measurements. I do not recommend this recipe at all. what a waste of time and money.
thetekdude
Bowie, Maryland
6/25/2017
I bake the chicken instead of deep frying and the chicken turned out deep-fried moist.
xentrop
Vancouver, BC
12/2/2015
Hey guys could anyone try this recipe and add some more herbs and spices to taste like kfc original fried chicken?
Djdc
Philippines
3/1/2015
I prepared this for a luncheon for 40 people. The instructions are so accurate and the results are the best fried chicken- just like the introduction states! Delicious, crisp exterior, moist meat due to the brining. Great recipe. Be sure to use Kate's Real Buttermilk- the best buttermilk on the market- only makes this recipe even better
suzannej23
New Canaan, CT
6/29/2014
Followed the instructions as presented. Temperature information was very helpful, because the other times I tried fried chicken, the skin got too dark before the middle cooked. These were HUGE chicken thighs, so I cooked them a bit longer, but kept an eye on the temperature. It would help to have some advice on how thick the buttermilk coating should be. It was quite thick on mine. I think UK buttermilk (which is only a recent discovery with the influx of Polish!) is much thicker than in the US (if I remember correctly). It's like sour cream!
delingei
Californian in the UK
11/11/2013
Help. It doesn't say how much water for the brine. Can anyone clarify?
sascha_mayer
Vermont
11/1/2013
The batter was great, and the meat was really nice and moist. I did find the meat slightly too sweet tasting though. I'll definitely use this recipe/technique again, (brine, dredge, buttermilk, dredge) but next time I'll either cut the sugar in the brine, or rinse the chicken after brining to try to reduce that sweetness.
Dplawiuk
Toronto, ON
4/29/2013
The batter is much too salty and the brine made the meat much too sweet. I was incredibly disappointed with the taste, though the chicken was quite moist, and the cooking time/temperature was definitely accurate. If I do make this again, the salt/sugar will be cut down significantly and more pepper will be added.
Anonymous
Philadelphia, PA
10/7/2012
Made this in the winter for an Oscar party (representing The Help) and am about to make it again for a fairly large party because my husband loved it so much. Brined the chicken and really let it dry off before coating it, then let it dry again before frying it. I found my first pieces were a little too brown because I needed to lower the heat a bit, but overall it was crispy and moist. Made it in advance and reheated in my warming oven, which makes it great for a party.
Anonymous
Franklin, MI
7/31/2012
just made this recipe for the second time, is quickly becoming a favorite for sunday dinners. i double the spiced flour amounts, i find it makes the breading process easier, and i also increase the buttermilk to a full quart. other than that, i follow the recipe and it comes out wonderfully.
Anonymous
tampa, fl
2/21/2012
Results were wonderful! Brined the chicken as instructed but only for 8 hours. Followed recipe except that I turned the chicken a bit more than instructed. The chicken was tender with a delightful crispy crunchy exterior. Will definitely add this one to my repertoire.
BuCook
2/1/2012
I haven`t made this yet but after reading the reviews I think this is the perfect thing to serve my guests at Christmas!
amber0606
11/9/2011
I have made a bunch of the "best" fried chicken recipes over the yearsalmost always for picnics the next day. This is the first recipe that was still crisp the day after making it and it was perfect. I followed the recipe exactly, though I had been skeptical about the sugar in the brine. The final product was not sweet and was not salty, (though it didn't need any salt either). This recipe is a winer just as written. -Kevin from Manhattan
Anonymous
7/26/2011
Made this for dinner tonight, except omitted cayanne. Great result. Kids loved it. Cooking times were spot on. Definitely make it again.
michellenemits
7/19/2011
