July 6th is National Fried Chicken Day, smack in the middle of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. That makes it the perfect time to share my favorite recipe for crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, fried chicken. I’ve seasoned it with garlic, onion and smoked paprika powders, plus a little cayenne for kick. But it’s the overnight soak in buttermilk that really enhances the flavor. For the soak, you’ll season eight pieces of chicken, and then cover them with buttermilk. I used thighs and drumsticks, but any of your favorite bone-in chicken cuts are fine. After the soak, you’ll whisk flour, seasonings and cornstarch together, coat the chicken, let it rest a bit, and then deep fry until crispy golden brown in peanut oil. It’ll take about 12 minutes for dark meat; 10 for white—but a meat thermometer is a good idea to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees for doneness. If you are making ahead of time and want to reheat, the air-fryer oven setting is great for keeping the coating crisp, but regular oven setting is good too. To round out the meal, this chicken goes great with my Favorite Old-Fashioned Potato salad, tomatoes, corn and watermelon. Happy 4th of July! Continue Reading…
