Classic Fried Chicken

Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• vegetable oil or shortening (for frying)

Recipe

• 1 combine buttermilk, hot pepper sauce, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a 2-gallon self-sealing plastic bag; add chicken pieces, turning to coat.
• 2 seal the bag, pressing out the excess air.
• 3 place bag in a bowl and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours to marinate, turning bag over once.
• 4 combine flour, baking powder, pepper, paprika, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt in a shallow dish until well mixed.
• 5 remove chicken, a few pieces at a time, from the buttermilk mixture shaking off excess.
• 6 add chicken to the flour mixture, turning to coat well.
• 7 place chicken on a wire rack, set over waxed paper without pieces touching.
• 8 repeat with remaining chicken, using a 2nd rack if necessary; let stand 15 minutes to set coating; discard buttermilk mixture.
• 9 preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• 10 line 2 large cookie sheets with paper towels.
• 11 place 1/2 inch oil in two large frying pans (electric frying pans are great for frying chicken); heat over med heat until hot.
• 12 place chicken pieces into hot oil being careful not to crowd or let pieces touch.
• 13 cover skillets and cook until chicken is light golden brown on the bottoms, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• 14 turn pieces over and cook, covered, 8 to 10 minutes longer for meat, 13 to 15 minutes for dark meat, turning every 4 to 5 minutes or until well browned on all sides and juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced with a knife tip.
• 15 transfer chicken to the paper towel lined cookie sheets in the oven to keep warm.
• 16 repeat with remaining chicken.