You haven't had crispy fried chicken like this before! It's marinated in seasoned buttermilk, then coated with a cajun seasoned flour, and fried until it's crispy perfection.
Peanut oil for fryingyou can use any light oil with a high smoke point
Instructions
Reserve ½ cup buttermilk and put in the refrigerator.
Mix the remaining buttermilk, garlic cloves, onion, kosher salt, sugar, pepper, Louisiana Hot Sauce in a non reactive bowl.
Add chicken, making sure that the buttermilk mixture covers the chicken parts completely.
Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
Remove chicken from buttermilk and pat dry with paper towels.
Discard buttermilk mixture. This is important - don't reuse!
Beat together eggs and reserved ½ cup buttermilk in a bowl.
Combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne, and paprika in a dish.
Dredge the chicken in flour mixture, dip in egg mixture, then roll in flour again.
Let rest for 10 minutes while you heat up the oil to 355F-360F in a large, heavy pan over medium heat - the oil should be one inch deep.
Place chicken in a single layer in the hot oil, do not crowd. You may need to cook it in two batches.
Cook until golden on one side and then turn to cook on the other. Check to make sure it's 165°F with an instant read thermometer.
Place on a baking sheet and keep hot in a 325 oven while you cook the remaining chicken.
Notes
Storage:Let leftover chicken cool to room temperature, first, or your leftovers will be soggy. Then, carefully place each piece in a single layer in an airtight container and refrigerate for three or four days.If you have some freezer bags and space, you can freeze the leftover fried cajun chicken , instead. Flash freeze on a baking sheet then put in freezer bags. It'll keep for about three months.To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the air fryer for best results.Tips:
Monitor the temperature of the oil carefully. Too cool and your chicken will get soggy, but too hot and the outside will burn before cooking through.
Use a glass bowl to marinate the chicken because it won't react with the acidic ingredients.
Don't swap garlic powder or onion powder in place of the real thing. In this case, it's not just about flavor. Onions have enzymes that help to break down and tenderize the meat.
Once you've marinated the chicken, the buttermilk mixture is contaminated—so don't keep or reuse it. Pour buttermilk, onions, and garlic into a zip-top bag for easy disposal.
Often, a standard kitchen thermometer won't measure high enough to monitor the oil temperature. I like to use a candy thermometer, or one made especially for hot oil.
Peanut oil is the best for Southern fried chicken, but if you have an allergy, any light oil works too.
Keep in mind, a larger, thicker piece of chicken will cook (and reheat) more slowly than a small one. Try to cook the chicken in batches based on size, if you can.
Check the interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer to make sure it's 165F.
Drain chicken on a wire rack after frying, so that any excess oil drips off. Then, place them in the oven to keep warm while you continue with the next batches.
Don't throw away the bones or the carcass of the chicken. If you're cooking for your family, you can save the bones and use them to make homemade chicken broth.