You may think you’ve had good fried chicken before, but the former director of The Cordon Bleu, Chef Jon-Paul, has whipped up three mind-blowing fried chicken recipes.

 

1. Nashville Hot Chicken

 

Let’s start with the Nashville Hot Chicken.

Ingredients

 

For the brine

3 cups buttermilk

¾ cup cayenne

9 tbsp. granulated garlic

9 tbsp. paprika

6 tbsp. onion powder

3 tbsp. sugar 1

(2½–3-lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or 3 lb. chicken wings

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

For the dip

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce

 

For the dredge

2 cups all-purpose flour

Sea salt

Vegetable oil, for frying

 

For the spicy coating

1/2 cup lard, melted and heated

3 tablespoons cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Pickle slices, for serving

 

Directions

 

Combine buttermilk, ¼ cup cayenne, 3 tbsp. each granulated garlic and paprika, 2 tbsp. onion powder, and 1 tbsp. sugar in a bowl; whisk until smooth. Add chicken and toss to coat; cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

 

The next day, drain chicken, rinse, and pat dry; season with salt and pepper.

Make the dip and dredge: In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and hot sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and 2 teaspoons sea salt.

 

Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then dip in the milk mixture, then in the flour mixture again, shaking off the excess after each step.

 

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fryer to 325 degrees F. Set a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Working in batches, lower the chicken into the fryer and fry until crisp, 15 to 17 minutes for breast quarters and 18 to 20 minutes for leg quarters. Remove the chicken and let it drain on the rack.

 

Make the spicy coating: Carefully ladle the lard into a medium heatproof bowl and whisk in the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, the paprika and garlic powder. Baste the spice mixture over the hot fried chicken and serve immediately; garnish with pickles.

 

2. Fried Korean Chicken Wings

 

Next, get an Asian pop of flavor with twice fried Korean chicken wings.

Batter

 

2lb chicken wings

½ cup corn starch

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1tsp kosher salt

½tsp Black Pepper

1/4tsp Baking Soda

1 large egg

 

Directions

 

Dry chicken with paper towels.

Combine all ingredients to form a batter.

Add the chicken, let sit for 10 minutes.

6-8 cups oil for frying (canola, peanut or vegetable)

Heat oil to 350F degrees (should be at least 2 inches deep).

Gently add the battered wings, one at a time.

When the oil reaches 350F again, set a timer for 10 minutes.

Remove chicken and drain excess fat in a strainer.

Repeat the process a second time; fry for another 10 minutes allow finished chicken to drain in strainer.

 

Sauce

3 clove garlic minced

1/4cup Gochujang

1/3cup Ketchup

1/3cup corn syrup

2tsp rice vinegar

2tsp vegetable oil.

 

Stir fry garlic, add remaining ingredients simmer to combine flavors.

Toss fried chicken in sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Eat.

 

3. Southern Fried Chicken

 

Finally – kick up a classic with brined southern fried chicken.

For dredging and frying

Peanut or canola oil for deep-frying

1quart buttermilk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Coating

6 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup garlic powder

¼ cup onion powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ground fleur de sel or fine sea salt

Rosemary and thyme sprigs for garnish

 

Cut each chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 4 breast quarters, and 2 wings. Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the chicken pieces, add in the chicken, and refrigerate for 12 hours (no longer, or the chicken may become too salty).

 

Remove the chicken from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry. Let rest at room temperature for 1 ½ hours, or until it comes to room temperature.

 

Fill a large heavy bottomed pot 1/3 third with oil (at least 2 inches deep), and heat to 320° F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Combine all the coating ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer half the coating to a second large bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a third bowl and season with salt and pepper.

 

Set up a dipping station: the chicken pieces, one bowl of coating, the bowl of buttermilk, the second bowl of coating, and the parchment-lined baking sheet.

 

Just before frying, dip the chicken thighs into the first bowl of coating, turning to coat and patting off the excess; dip them into the buttermilk, allowing the excess to run back into the bowl; then dip them into the second bowl of coating. Transfer to the parchment-lined pan.

 

Carefully lower the thighs into the hot oil. Adjust the heat as necessary to return the oil to the proper temperature. Fry for 2 minutes, then carefully move the chicken pieces around in the oil and continue to fry, monitoring the oil temperature and turning the pieces as necessary for even cooking, for 11 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is a deep golden brown, cooked through, and very crisp. Meanwhile, coat the chicken drumsticks and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet.

 

Transfer the cooked thighs to the cooling rack skin-side-up and let rest while you fry the remaining dark-meat chicken. Season with fine sea salt.

 

Turn up the heat and heat the oil to 340° F. Meanwhile, coat the chicken breasts and wings. Carefully lower the chicken breasts into the hot oil and fry for 7 minutes, or until golden brown, cooked through, and crisp. Transfer to the rack, sprinkle with salt, and turn skin side up. Cook the wings for 6 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the wings to the rack and turn off the heat.

 

Chicken Brine

5 lemons, halved

24 bay leaves

1 bunch (4 ounces) flat-leaf parsley

1 bunch (1 ounce) thyme

½ cup clover honey

1head garlic, halved through the equator

¼ cup black peppercorns

2 cups (10 ounces) kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal

2 gallons water

 

The key ingredient here is the lemon, which goes wonderfully with chicken, as do the herbs: bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. This amount of brine will be enough for 10 pounds.

 

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil.

 

Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill before using. The brine can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

 

Feeling hungry yet? Now you’ve got three fried chicken recipes to try at home.