Dave’s Hot Chicken Recipe

1. Buttermilk: The buttermilk serves also to add moisture and also tenderizing effect through the acid present in it. It is a combination of one cup of milk and one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar. It should be allowed to stand for roughly 5 minutes before it is used.

2. Cayenne Pepper: This is WHERE Nashville hot chicken gets its heat from! When performing the act of measurement, remember to use care, cayenne is quite hot in flavor. If you are not too familiar with spiced food, for example, instead of using the amount required in the recipe, use half of the amount and even add more if the taste turns out to be too strong.

3. Cornstarch: Many fried recipes call for cornstarch to help produce an even crispier skin on the food when frying it. It swell when it gets in contact with moisture from the chicken and makes it crispy than having flour alone.

4. Dill Pickle Juice: This component is necessary in brining; the flavor acquired is breaking and offers a lovely contrast to the spices used. Besides the purpose of flavor boost, the pickling juice of pickle is able to maintain the tenderness of the chicken during the cooking process.

5. Optional Rice Flour: You can kick fry the chicken even further if you add your dredge rice flour. For a more crispy crust, you can try using some portion of the all-purpose flour and replace it with rice flour.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the Brine:

   • In a large bowl, you will need 1 ½ cup buttermilk, ¼ cup dill pickle juice, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, and 2 large eggs. Whisk until well combined.
   • Place the chicken pieces with bones in this brine 4 lbs. Make sure that all pieces are totally blanketed.
   • Tightly include the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or preferably for a whole night.

2. Prepare the Dredge:

   • In the second bowl, combine: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 Tbsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp onion powder, and 3 tsp kosher salt mixing the ingredients evenly.
   • To achieve additional crispness, you may include ¼ cup of rice flour to this recipe also.

3. Heat the Oil:

   • It is better to use peanut or vegetable oil, enough to fill the bottom of a deep fryer or a pot to about two quarts.
   • Heat the oil with medium-high heat until it comes up to around 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Use a thermometer to check.

4. Dredge the Chicken:

   • Take each piece of chicken in the brine and pouring off any liquid that may be present on the chicken piece.
   • Coat each piece in your flour mixture until a thick layer is formed on each part of the steak. Before frying, pat to remove additional flour coating in order to prevent an uneven coating.

5. Fry the Chicken:

   • Using a slotted spoon or spatula, take careful to place several pieces of dredged chicken in the hot oil and should not be done at once.
   • The time it takes to cook each piece to a crisp, golden brown that’s cooked through and safe to eat (the internal temperature should rise to 165°F or 74°C at least) is approximately 7-8 minutes.
   • Transfer fried chicken let it drip excess oil on a wire rack lined on a baking sheet.

6. Make Spicy Oil:

   • In a different bowl, mix ¾ of the frying oil and ¼ cup of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika seasoning, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and salt to taste.
   • Stir until all the following are incorporated smoothly.

7. Brush with Spicy Oil:

   While still warm from frying, brush or drizzle this spicy oil over each piece of fried chicken generously.

8. Serve:

   Serve immediately on slices of white bread or brioche buns with dill pickles on top for added flavor.

RECIPE TIPS & VARIATIONS

1. Spice Adjustments: To take a little taste off from the mellow but making the food spicy, cut cayenne pepper in the brine down to half while in the spicy oil half as well. But if you wish you can always add chili to the dish later on so the dish does not end up too hot.

2. Baking Option: If you’ve been a fan of frying your chicken but are open to healthier methods then go right ahead and bake your chicken. Convection bake at 400°F (200°C) and position dredged chicken on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. For the cookies part bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

3. Coleslaw Addition: Enjoy Spicy hot chicken with creamy coleslaw because the cool slaw will help tone down the hot chicken.

4. Sauce Variations: Of course there is the hot chicken, try out more dressing like ranch dressing or chipotle mayo, those you can go hand in hand with hot chicken.

5. Make Ahead: This brined chicken can be made ahead of time up until a day before frying so for convenience, dredge the chicken before frying and still get a delicious taste.

EQUIPMENT

1. Deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot

2. Mixing bowls

3. Whisk

4. Tongs

5. Wire rack

6. Baking sheet