Rosemary-Brined, Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Serves: 4

Shirley Senger

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

50

Spice

35

Sweetness

49

Sourness

40

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.5

Difficulty

Ingredients:

4.5 cups

Water (/1 liter)

2 tbsps

Paprika

2 tbsps

Fine Sea Salt

2 tbsps

Baking Powder

Directions:

1

Make the brine: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes

2

Add 3 tablespoons salt after the onion and garlic have cooked for 30 seconds or so

3

Add the rosemary and cook to heat it, 30 seconds or so

4

Add the water and lemon, squeezing the juice from the wedges into the water and removing any seeds

5

Bring the water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt

6

Remove from the heat and allow the brine to cool

7

Refrigerate until chilled

8

Place all the chicken pieces in a large, sturdy plastic bag

9

Set the bag in a large bowl for support

10

Pour the cooled brine and aromatics into the bag

11

Seal the bag so that you remove as much air as possible and the chicken is submerged in the brine

12

Refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours, agitating the bag occasionally to redistribute the brine and the chicken

13

Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse under cold water, pat dry, and set on a rack or on paper towels

14

The chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before you cook it, or it can be cooked immediately

15

Ideally, it should be refrigerated, uncovered, for a day to dry out the skin, but usually I can't wait to start cooking it

16

Combine the flour, black pepper, paprika, sea salt, cayenne, and baking powder in a bowl

17

Whisk to distribute the ingredients

18

Divide this mixture between two bowls

19

Pour the buttermilk into a third bowl

20

Set a rack on a baking sheet/tray

21

Dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off the excess, and set the dusted pieces on the rack

22

Dip the pieces in the buttermilk, then dredge them aggressively in the second bowl of flour and return them to the rack

23

Heat oil in a pan for deep-frying to 350°F/180°C

24

Add as many chicken pieces as you can without crowding the pan

25

Cook the chicken, turning the pieces occasionally, until they are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes depending on their size

26

Remove to a clean rack and allow them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving

27

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes

28

Add 3 tablespoons salt after the onion and garlic have cooked for 30 seconds or so

29

Add the rosemary and cook to heat it, 30 seconds or so

30

Add the water and lemon, squeezing the juice from the wedges into the water and removing any seeds

31

Bring the water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt

32

Remove from the heat and allow the brine to cool

33

Refrigerate until chilled

34

Place all the chicken pieces in a large, sturdy plastic bag

35

Set the bag in a large bowl for support

36

Pour the cooled brine and aromatics into the bag

37

Seal the bag so that you remove as much air as possible and the chicken is submerged in the brine

38

Refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours, agitating the bag occasionally to redistribute the brine and the chicken

39

Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse under cold water, pat dry, and set on a rack or on paper towels

40

The chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before you cook it, or it can be cooked immediately

41

Ideally, it should be refrigerated, uncovered, for a day to dry out the skin, but usually I can't wait to start cooking it

42

Combine the flour, black pepper, paprika, sea salt, cayenne, and baking powder in a bowl

43

Whisk to distribute the ingredients

44

Divide this mixture between two bowls

45

Pour the buttermilk into a third bowl

46

Set a rack on a baking sheet/tray

47

Dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off the excess, and set the dusted pieces on the rack

48

Dip the pieces in the buttermilk, then dredge them aggressively in the second bowl of flour and return them to the rack

49

Heat oil in a pan for deep-frying to 350°F/180°C

50

Add as many chicken pieces as you can without crowding the pan

51

Cook the chicken, turning the pieces occasionally, until they are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes depending on their size

52

Remove to a clean rack and allow them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving