Southern Buttermilk Chicken (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Spice Blend

01 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder
02 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
03 - 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons paprika
05 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano

→ For the Soaking Mixture

06 - 1 large egg
07 - Kosher salt
08 - 1 cup buttermilk

→ Main Ingredients for Chicken

09 - About 4 pounds of a whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces (or roughly 3 1/2 pounds mix of skin-on, bone-in breasts, legs, wings, or drumsticks)
10 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
12 - 4 cups vegetable shortening for frying
13 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

# Instructions:

01 - Mix together the cayenne, ode oregano, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper in a small dish till everything’s evenly distributed.
02 - In a roomy bowl, whisk together salt, buttermilk, egg, plus a couple of tablespoons of the spice blend. Dunk the chicken in, coat it all around, pack everything into a freezer-safe resealable bag, and leave it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the bag now and then for an even soak.
03 - Toss together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, the leftover spice blend, and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl. Scoop a few spoons of the marinade from the chicken bag and work it into this flour with your fingers to make those iconic craggy bits.
04 - Shake off extra brine from every piece of chicken, dunk each piece into the flour coating, and when they’re all in, mix well so they’re fully covered. Press the coating firmly onto the chicken to make it stick well.
05 - Get your oven to 350°F and line a rack in the center. Meanwhile, heat up your shortening in a cast-iron skillet or wok till it gets to 425°F.
06 - Using a mesh strainer, shake off excess flour from the chicken, and place each piece skin-side down in the hot oil. The oil temp will drop to roughly 300°F, and you'll need to keep it there. Cook till deep golden (around 6 minutes), flip, and fry for another 4 minutes. Avoid moving the chicken for the first couple of minutes, or you might lose the crust.
07 - Pop the chicken onto a wire rack over a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, then let the oven finish the work! Bake until the breasts hit 150°F and thighs/drumsticks 165°F (typically takes 5-10 minutes). Take each piece out once it’s done.
08 - Want extra crunch? Chill the chicken in the fridge after frying for an hour or even overnight. When you’re ready, heat the oil back up to 400°F and fry again for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through to crisp them perfectly.

# Notes:

01 - This Southern-style fried chicken owes its juiciness and flavor to its tangy and seasoned buttermilk soak.
02 - Mixing some of the buttermilk marinade into the flour creates a satisfyingly crunchy crust.
03 - For the tastiest chicken, let it sit in its buttermilk marinade for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

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