Down to your last pickle? Fear not, the good times don't have to end. All the amazing flavours and health benefits in that brine can be used to prepare some juicy fried chicken.
And who doesn't love fried chicken, amirite?!
Ingredients:
- 700ml of whole or low-fat buttermilk
- Westmont Beer pickle juices
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
- Any chicken pieces of your choice, can be a whole bird broken down, or just thighs and drum sticks. Just make sure it roughly equates to 1kg in total.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
- Oil for frying (vegetable or peanut)
Serve with: Westmont Beer Pickles
Directions:
1. Mix together in a large sealable container the buttermilk, pickle juices, hot sauces, 2 teaspoons of salt and the chicken. Place in refridgerator for at least 8 hours or maximum of overnight.
2. Mix together flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper if you're brave and the remainder of the salt into a large plate. Remove one piece of chicken at a time from your brine mixture, give it a gentle shake to let any excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully place your chicken into the flour mixture and toss well to coat. Now place your coated chicken onto a wire rack or a plate and repeat the process with the rest of the chicken. Once completed, leave your coated chicken at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. For frying, pour oil to a depth of 5cm into a large dutch oven, and heat over medium-high heat until oil reaches around 175-180°C. Prepare a wire rack to place the chicken onto after frying.
4. Only fry four pieces of chicken at a time to ensure that you do not overcrowd the pan, and always place the chicken into the hot oil AWAY from you for safety. Rough cooking times for chicken pieces are; about 12 minutes for drumsticks and thighs and 15 minutes for breasts. Your thermometer should read 74°C in the thickest part of the chicken (avoid the bone) once it is ready.
As always, adjust the heat while frying to maintain temperature as needed. Once you are happy, place the chicken onto the wire rack and sprinkle some salt while it's still hot. Repeat this process with the remainder of the chicken!
Tips:
- Once chicken has been coated in flour mixture, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes in order for the coating to stick to the chicken and a more even internal temperature during frying!
- Always ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74°C before serving
- Try to keep the temperature of the oil around 150-160°C whilst frying the chicken