Frequently asked questions

Why do you soak chicken before frying?

Soaking chicken in a salty brine not only helps to season the meat, but the salt actually breaks down the protein to yield tender, juicy fried chicken. (Bonus: This also provides a bit of a safeguard against overcooking, which can make the chicken tough and dry.)

How do you keep flour from falling off fried chicken?

There are a couple keys to keeping your breading adhered to the chicken. First, once the chicken has soaked and you're ready to coat it, you'll want to thoroughly pat it dry after removing it from the brine; excess moisture creates steam between the surface of the chicken and the breading, which causes it to fall off. Second, as you finish coating the chicken, set the pieces on a wire rack and let them rest a bit before frying. Even a 10-minute rest between dredging and frying will help keep the breading intact, so when you begin to fry, start with the pieces you coated first. As it cooks, refrain from flipping the chicken until it's had a chance to start turning golden on one side.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

When planning to make this fried chicken, you'll need to allow four hours for the chicken to soak in the brine. When it comes time to fry, it's important not to crowd the chicken in the pan so that it all cooks evenly. To speed up the process, we like to fry it in two pans simultaneously, but you can use just one pan if you'd like. The chicken can be fried up to four hours ahead and reheated.

Suggested pairing

A lively, fruity, low-tannin Beaujolais has the fruit and acidity to contrast with the pleasantly sweet chicken.

Ingredients

1 quart whole milk, divided
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup sugar
2 (4-pound) chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
About 5 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

© Matthew Armendariz

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of the milk with 3/4 cup of kosher salt and the sugar. Stir over moderate heat just until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large, deep bowl and add the remaining 3 cups of milk. Add the chicken pieces and refrigerate for 4 hours. Drain the chicken and pat thoroughly dry.
© Matthew Armendariz

In a bowl, mix the buttermilk, eggs, 2 tablespoons of salt, the paprika, hot sauce, and pepper. Whisk in the baking powder and baking soda. Put half of the flour in a large bowl. Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, tapping off any excess. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off; return the chicken to the flour and turn to coat. Transfer to a rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more flour as needed. If the flour becomes too lumpy, sift it.
© Matthew Armendariz

Heat the oil in 2 large, deep skillets until shimmering. Working in batches, add the chicken to the skillets in a single layer, without crowding, and fry over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until deep golden and cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes; an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should register 160°F. Drain the chicken on wire racks lined with paper towels and fry the remaining pieces. Serve hot or warm.