Perfectly fried chicken is an unbeatable crowd-pleaser, but most recipes disappoint, with bland meat and soggy coatings that fall far short of the ideal. The old-fashioned method of dipping chicken in a batter (not unlike pancake batter) before frying promises a delicate, crunchy coating and is easier than the typical messy flour-egg-flour preparation. To foolproof and modernize this unusual technique, we started by brining chicken pieces to ensure moist and seasoned meat. We found that using equal parts cornstarch and flour in the batter produced an ultracrisp crust on the chicken, while baking powder added lift and lightness without doughiness. Black pepper, paprika, and cayenne gave the batter simple but unambiguous flavor. Best of all, this chicken can be recrisped to its original glory in a hot oven even a full day after frying. You will need at least a 6-quart Dutch oven for this recipe. If using kosher chicken, do not brine and instead season with salt in step 4 after patting the chicken dry.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half, drumsticks, and/or thighs)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil
- Whisk 1 quart cold water, sugar, and ¼ cup salt together in large bowl to dissolve. Add chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and 5 teaspoons pepper together in large bowl. Whisk in 1¾ cups water until smooth. Refrigerate until needed (but no longer than 1 hour).
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees; set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
- Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Whisk batter to recombine. Add one-third of chicken to batter and toss to coat thoroughly. Remove chicken from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil.
- Fry chicken until deep golden and breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, adjusting burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
- Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken and batter in 2 batches, transferring batches to oven to keep warm. Serve.
