Fried chicken is everywhere in St. Louis right now. It seems like new chicken shacks are announced every other week, and the golden birds are popping up on menus all over town. (I myself am one of the guys who cooks your monthly fried chicken dinners at The Libertine.) Despite its popularity, people often think fried chicken is a huge ordeal to make at home. While I admit it can make a bit of a mess, with a few kitchen tricks, fried chicken can be a simple, relatively mess-free, tasty undertaking at home.?
There are three keys to juicy, golden-brown fried chicken:
1. Wet brine the chicken.
2. Season the dredging flour, or chicken flour.
3. Master basic frying techniques.
First, brining and seasoning. There are two ways to properly season chicken: a dry or wet brine. Dry brining requires salting the chicken liberally – ¼ to ½ cup – and letting it rest in the refrigerator for several hours. Dry brining is the quickest, simplest way to season the chicken, but wet brining is the best method to introduce other flavors. Here, you can mix in fresh herbs, tea or most important, hot sauce. After an overnight brine, the chicken goes for a dip in a buttermilk and egg bath, which is much easier – and cleaner – than a traditional egg wash. The bath also imparts a tanginess from the buttermilk and yes, even more hot sauce. (Note: This recipe uses three bottles of Louisiana hot sauce, but the end result is a balanced, subtle heat – so don’t panic.)
The chicken flour adds the final layer of flavor. The flour mixture must include cornstarch to help the flour stick to the chicken; I prefer a 1-to-4 ratio of cornstarch to flour. Not all flours are created equal, either. In the South, you’ll often find a mixture of flour and cornmeal, which adds sweetness and crunch. I prefer a more traditional flaky breading, so I use a mixture of all-purpose and corn flour instead.
Finally, frying. You don’t need to a purchase a fryer to clutter up your counter. A Dutch oven and a deep-fry or candy thermometer are all you need for beautifully fried chicken. The Dutch oven is deep enough to prevent oil splatters, and the cast iron helps keep the oil at a constant 300 degrees. Finally, cook like pieces together; breasts and thighs will take 12 to 15 minutes, while the smaller legs and wings will take 11 to 13 minutes. Keep the chicken warm on a rack in a 170-degree oven until you’re ready to serve.
With three teenage boys in our house, I usually cook three to four whole chickens at a time. Even if you’re cooking for a smaller or less voracious crowd, I still encourage you to fry at least two birds, as cold fried chicken is the one of the greatest leftover meals. You decide if you want the traditional Coke and dry white toast to go with it.
The Shopping List* ½ cup paprika
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried basil
2 tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
4-5 sprigs thyme
3 12-oz. bottles Louisiana hot sauce
1 5-oz. bottle Tabasco
4 skin-on chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
10 eggs
1 gallon buttermilk
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups corn flour
2 cups cornstarch
Canola oil for frying
1 lb. red new potatoes
2½ lbs. fresh green beans
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ cup fresh basil
1 lemon
*This list assumes you have water, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, sugar and olive oil on hand in your kitchen. If not, you will need to purchase these items, too. The Gameplan Day 1: Make the Creole Spice Mix. Brine the chicken.
Day 2: Fry the chicken. Make the Green Bean Salad.
Creole Spice Mix Courtesy of The Libertine’s Josh Galliano Makes 1½ cups
½ cup paprika
6 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried basil
2 tsp. cayenne
½ Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
? Day 1: Mix the paprika, salt, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, thyme, oregano, basil, cayenne, sugar and chili flakes together in a non-reactive bowl. Store in airtight container.
Fried Chicken 8 to 10 servings
1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
½ cup sugar
4 to 5 sprigs thyme
3 12-oz. bottles Louisiana hot sauce, divided
1 5-oz. bottle Tabasco
4 skin-on chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
10 eggs
1 gallon buttermilk
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups corn flour
2 cups cornstarch
1 cup Creole Spice Mix (Recipe above.)
Canola oil for frying
? Day 1: In a container large enough to hold all the chicken pieces, whisk together the water, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add the thyme, 2 bottles Louisiana hot sauce and Tabasco and whisk again. Submerge the chicken pieces in the brine, cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
? Day 2: In another container large enough to hold all the chicken pieces, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and remaining bottle of Louisiana hot sauce until incorporated. Remove the chicken pieces from the brine and submerge them in the buttermilk bath.
? In the bottom of a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish, stir together the all-purpose flour, corn flour, cornstarch and Creole Spice Mix until well incorporated.
? Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Fill a Dutch oven with 3 inches of canola oil, place a frying thermometer or candy thermometer in the oil and set over high heat until it reaches 300 degrees.
? Meanwhile, place 2 racks on top of 2 sheet trays. Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk bath 1 piece at a time and dredge in the flour mixture. Place the chicken on the rack and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Dredge each piece in the flour again and return them to the rack.
? Carefully add the breasts to the oil, working in batches as necessary to not overcrowd the Dutch oven. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, then turn and fry another 3 to 5 minutes. Turn again and fry another 3 to 5 minutes, until the skin is a crisp, golden brown. Remove the breasts from the oil and place on the second rack. Repeat with the chicken thighs, adjusting the temperature as needed to keep the oil at 300 degrees. Place the tray in the oven between batches to keep warm.
? Add the legs to the oil, working in batches as necessary to not overcrowd the Dutch oven. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, then turn and fry another 3 to 5 minutes. Turn again and let fry another 2 to 3 minutes, until the skin is a crisp, golden brown. Remove the legs from the oil and place on the second rack. Repeat with the chicken wings, adjusting the temperature as needed to keep the oil at 300 degrees.
? Place the tray with the fried chicken in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve. Fried chicken will keep, refrigerated, 1 week.
Green Bean Salad 6 to 8 servings
Kosher salt for boiling, plus more to taste
1 lb. new red potatoes
2½ lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Zest of 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ to ½ cup olive oil
? Day 2: Prepare an ice water bath and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and boil until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, place on a plate and refrigerate to cool.
? In the same pot, blanch the green beans 2 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and shock in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain the green beans and place in a serving bowl.
? Slice the potatoes into large bite-sized pieces and add them to the bowl with the pine nuts, basil and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper, toss with the olive oil and serve. Salad will keep, refrigerated, 1 week.
Can’t get enough fried chicken? Check out other recipes from area chefs like Old Standard’s Ben Poremba or The Libertine’s Josh Galliano.
-photos by Michelle Volansky
This article appears in Guide to Beer 2015.