Skillet Fried Chicken
Must be the weather. Mama’s been seeing a lot of fried chicken recipes lately… and they all look fabulous.
Check out the January 2012 cover of bon appétit magazine. 
A woman sitting next to me on the train was reading it, so I hit the newsstand as soon as the train pulled into the station.
Funny thing… the recipe is almost EXACTLY like my recipe. But the magazine offers up some really excellent tips that guarantee crisp and crunchy chicken.
GP was also hypnotized by the magazine’s cover. “THAT’s what I want for my birthday dinner,” he announced. So, since everyone in the fam gets to pick his or her birthday dinner, that’s what I made: Skillet Fried Chicken inspired by bon appétit.
I already know what you’re thinking:
1. It’s too greasy. No, if the oil is the proper temperature, it’s not greasy at all.
2. It’s too fattening. This is a special occasion. We’re not eating like this everyday.
3. It’s too messy. Like any cooking project, if you are organized, you can control the chaos.
4. It takes too much time. Yes, yes it does. This is not a 15 second microwave burrito. But in order to create enchantment, you have to invest a little bit of time (and a little bit of yourself!).
bon appétit inspired Skillet-Fried Chicken
prep: 3 hours
cook: about an hour
serves: 6
you’ll need…
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 3–4-lb. chicken (not kosher), cut into 10 pieces, backbone and wing tips removed
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Peanut oil (for frying)
• special equipment:
A deep-fry thermometer
let’s get to it…
Whisk 1 tablespoon of the salt, 2 teaspoons of the black pepper, the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powder together in a small bowl. Rub the chicken with the spices in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours (you can also let it sit overnight).
Rest the chicken out of the refrigerator for 1 hour before cooking. Set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.
Whisk the buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour, the cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon of pepper in in a 9x13x2″ baking dish (like a lasagna pan).
Pour the oil into a 10″–12″ cast-iron skillet or other heavy straight-sided skillet (not a nonstick pan) to a depth of ¾-inches. Prop up the deep-fry thermometer (or clip it to the side of the pan) in the oil so the bulb is submerged. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until thermometer hits 350°F.
Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture one piece at a time, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. (I like to use one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients.)
Dredge the chicken piece in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Place several pieces of the chicken in the skillet (don’t crowd the pan!). Fry the chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300°F–325°F, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breasts.
Remove the chicken from the skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet and place on the wire rack. Repeat as directed until the chicken is cooked. Cool for 10 minutes before diving in!
