Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 2 whole chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
• coarse salt
• 1/4 cup smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 4 cups buttermilk
• Flour for dredging
• oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Evenly salt the chicken with a light layer of kosher salt and let sit for 20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne ; evenly distribute this mixture over the chicken.
3. Place the chicken in a large sealable container, pour the buttermilk over it,
   and use your hands to gently mix until the chicken is fully coated. Seal the container and let it sit in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours.
4. The next day, drain off the excess buttermilk.
5. Set up two sheet pans with wire racks and put some flour for dredging in a large bowl. Completely coat each piece of chicken with flour and set on the wire racks. Let the chicken sit for 20 minutes, until the seasoned buttermilk coating has absorbed most of the flour.
6. Coat each piece of chicken once more with the flour and set back on the wire racks.
7. In a deep fryer, heat the oil to 325°F.
8. Place the chicken in the oil in batches, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry each batch for about 7 minutes until golden, and drain on clean wire racks over sheet pans lined with paper towels.
9. Once all the chicken has been fried, heat the oil to 355°F and fry in batches once more for 2 1/2 minutes per batch, until golden brown. (Interior of chicken should read 165 °F on a meat thermometer.) Place the chicken on the wire racks again to drain.