Pickle Brined Fried Chicken

This recipe is important because it is the first time I have deep fried something at home since I almost burnt my apartment down in Amherst, MA in 2013. This was also my first time making fried chicken at home and I was so happy how it came out.

PS - if the oil in your pan somehow catches on fire, DO NOT PUT WATER ON IT! This will cause the oil to spray and cause a bigger fire. Instead, take it off the heat carefully and throw flour, salt or a cover on top of it until the fire burns out. I know from personal experience…be careful 😅

This recipe is a combination of Smoking and Grilling with AB Chick Fil A recipe and Chef Jon Ashton’s Fried Chicken recipe. I love how it came together but I encourage you to try around with your own flavors. Let your taste buds guide you!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Fried Chicken Brine:

This recipe is enough for the breakdown of one whole chicken.

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 cup kosher dill pickle juice

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 whole

• 1 tsp salt

Cut chicken to desired sizes. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until evenly combined. Grab a reusable plastic bag and add the brine to the bag. Add in your chicken pieces with a pair of tongs. Seal the bag tightly and move the bag around so that each piece of chicken is evenly coated in the brine. Lay the bag flat on a tray or plate and leave in your fridge for at least 4 hours. I brined mine for 36 hours but you can get away with anywhere from 4-24. Brining allows the chicken to tenderize and hold its juices when it comes time to fry.

Coating:

• 1 cups All Purpose Flour

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp spice of choice (I used chili powder)

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Have a cooling rack and sheet tray ready to place the coated chicken. Take your tongs and one by one take the brined chicken out of the bag and coat it completely with the flour mixture. After coating, add each piece to the cooling rack to get rid of any excess flour that could clump. Once all pieces are coated - prepare for frying.

Frying:

Be very careful while frying! Oil gets very hot!

• 2 cups of sunflower oil or another oil with a high smoke point

• Your coated chicken

• Cast iron or other heavy bottomed pan

• Meat thermometer

• Salt and Pepper for finishing

Add oil to pan. You want to make sure to leave a couple of inches from the oil to the top of the pan so that when you begin to fry it does not spill over. Heat your oil to about 350 degrees fahrenheit. As your oil is heating up, prepare another cooling rack with sheet tray underneath. This is where you will put your finished chicken. Check your oil temp with a thermometer. Once it is hot enough, add your pieces of chicken one by one and be sure not to overwhelm them as this will create un even cooking. Make sure to give them enough room. Cook your chicken until the internal temperature reads at least 165 degrees fahrenheit. Once cooked through, one by one take them out of the oil with tongs, add to your cooling rack and sprinkle with salt and pepper (or other spices). Let cool slightly and enjoy!!