1whole chicken, cut into eight parts or 3-4 pounds of your preferred chicken pieces.
2Cups+ ¼ Cup buttermilk, the 1/4 cup is for the flour mixture
3Cupsall-purpose flour
3Teaspoonsbaking powder
1 ½Tablespoonsblack pepper, split between flour and buttermilk
2Teaspoonsgarlic powder, split
2Teaspoonspaprika, split
½Teaspoonscayenne, split
1 ½Cupsvegetable oil
Big pinches of salt, in both buttermilk and flour
Instructions
Add 2 Cups of buttermilk to a large bowl or a big plastic container along with half of all your spices (salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, dash of hot sauce). Whisk together and add your chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for an hour.
Once you are ready to fry, add the same spices to flour and mix together. Then stir in 1/4 Cup buttermilk to give the flour a gritty texture.
Working one piece at a time, take the thicken from the buttermilk mixture and dredge in the flour mixture. Set the chicken on a clean plate until your ready to fry.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and add your vegetable oil to a large cast iron skillet or high-sided skillet. Heat the pan over high heat and when the oil is very hot (375 degrees), add the chicken, skin side down. You’ll probably have to work in batches.
Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes on the skin side and then 4 minutes on the second side. Remove the chicken to a wire rack on a sheet pan which is how you will bake it.
Bake the chicken for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees to finish the cooking. Be sure check the chicken to make sure it’s done. I recommend using a meat thermometer for this.
WARNING: This recipe produces a lot of smoke. Be sure to have your oven vent on high and maybe even open a window or two.