The Best Fried Chicken Recipe Ever

Fried chicken is one of the most comforting foods to eat. It’s delicious, It’s fairly easy to make and the ingredients aren’t too expensive.

While all these things are true, it can be difficult to achieve maximum flavor, tenderness and juiciness because of over cooking, under seasoning and breading falling off. I’m going to show you my 3 important steps to making the best fried chicken recipe ever.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. The opinions and text are all mine.

LOVE CHEF BILLY PARISI AND WANT MORE AMAZING RECIPES?
-SUBSCRIBE NOW AT: http://bit.ly/2zql9ha
-WEBSITE: https://billyparisi.com

LET'S CONNECT
-INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ChefBillyParisi
-FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ChefBillyParisi
-PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/ChefBillyParisi
-TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/ChefBillyParisi

PRINT THIS RECIPE: https://www.billyparisi.com/the-best-fried-chicken-recipe-ever

Ingredients for this Recipe:

For the Brine:
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons sea salt
• ½ cup white distilled vinegar
• 1 cup of ice
• 6 finely grated cloves of garlic
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1 whole roasting chicken cut up into parts
For the Breading:
• 3 cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
Miscellaneous Ingredients:
• 5 cups canola oil for frying
• 1 cup rendered bacon fat for frying

Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Procedures:
1. Brine: Add the water, salt and vinegar to a small size pot and bring to a boil until the salt has been completely dissolved.
2. Immediately remove the brine from the burner and add in a heaping cup of ice cubes. Pour the mixture into a plastic bag along with the garlic and butter milk and whisk to combine.
3. Add the chicken parts to the plastic bag with the brine in it and submerge. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
4. Breading: In a bowl or loaf pan mix together the flour, corn starch, paprika, salt and pepper until combined. Set aside.
5. In a separate bowl or loaf pan, drain the buttermilk brine from the chicken into the bowl or pan.
6. Next add a piece of drained brined chicken to the seasoned flour and coat. Pat off any excess flour and submerge into the brine coating it. Remove it again and add it back to the seasoned flour and dredge it completely coating it. Set on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a plate. Repeat the process until all the chicken is breaded.
7. Add the oil and bacon fat to a large cast iron skillet and heat to 350°.
8. Cook the chicken in batches in the oil cooking it for 7-8 minutes per side until crispy golden brown and an internal temperature of 165°.
9. Drain the chicken on a rack over a sheet tray to collect the dripping oil.
10. Serve hot!

CHEF NOTES:
• The longer the marinade bringing process the more flavor and tenderness that can be incorporated into the chicken. I recommend the 24 hours brining time.
• If for some reason you don’t want to make the brine simply drain your pickle juice jar to render about 2 cups of the brining liquid and use it instead of the homemade brine, I made.
• I only season the cornstarch and flour with paprika, salt and pepper but you can also add things such as garlic, onion granules, cayenne and herbs to help enhance the flavor.
• The best temperature of the oil for frying chicken is 350°.
• If you have a lot of leftover rendered bacon fat and are not sure what to do with it, it freezes well or incorporate it into pie crusts for the most tender flakiest crusts ever like in my Homemade Chess Pie Recipe