Ingredients:

  • 1.5 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
  • 500 ml full-fat buttermilk
  • 15 ml hot sauce
  • 10 g sea salt
  • 5 g smoked paprika
  • 5 g garlic powder
  • 375 g all-purpose flour
  • 65 g cornstarch
  • 10 g freshly cracked black pepper
  • 5 g onion powder
  • 5 g cayenne pepper
  • 1 liter peanut oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Combine 500ml buttermilk, 15ml hot sauce, 10g sea salt, 5g paprika, and 5g garlic powder. Pour over chicken, ensure submerged, and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
  2. In a large shallow dish, whisk together 375g flour, 65g cornstarch, 10g black pepper, 10g garlic powder, 5g onion powder, 5g cayenne, and 10g salt.
  3. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk brine into the flour mixture and stir with a fork to create small craggy clumps; this creates the extra-thick surface area.
  4. Remove chicken from brine, allowing excess to drip off, then press firmly into the seasoned flour until every curve is heavily coated.
  5. Heat 1 liter of oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
  6. Fry chicken in batches to avoid crowding. Cook for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the crust is mahogany brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  7. Transfer chicken to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet to maintain crispness. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.