The recipe I used was based off Paula Deen’s Southern Fried Chicken recipe with some modifications: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/southern-fried-chicken-recipe.html

The 3 major modifications I made: Substituted siracha hot sauce Brining the chicken in buttermilk for 24 hours Used a cast iron skillet instead of a deep pot (to get a nice crust on the chicken)

The most challenging parts of the cook were breaking down the chicken and keeping the oil at a steady 350.

Food ingredients 2-2.5lb chicken Large container of vegetable oil (peanut oil is my favorite) 3 eggs ⅓ cup water 1 cup + ½ tablespoon siracha (I like Huy Fong which you can get on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Huy-Fong-Sriracha-Chili-Bottle/dp/B0002PSOJW) 2 cups self rising flour ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup + 1 tablespoon kosher salt ¼ cup garlic powder ¼ cup + ½ tablespoon smoked paprika ¼ teaspoon cayenne 1/2 quart low fat buttermilk 1.5 sprigs fresh sage 1.5 sprigs fresh thyme 1.5 sprigs fresh rosemary 1 bay leaf 1/2 lemon 2 cloves garlic

Tools Garlic smasher A very sharp chef's knife A large tupperware container (to hold the chicken for brining) A medium tupperware container (to apply the dredge) Oil thermometer (instant read is best) Meat thermometer (for the chicken) Large (10-15") cast iron pan (I used 12") Cookie sheet and rack (to allow the chicken to rest) A good pair of heat resistant tongs Lemon zester

Prepping (the day before) I front-loaded some of the work the day before, too, but you could do this the day of.

Break down the chicken I brute forced 4 chickens on Friday and didn’t do enough research… here’s a good video on how to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGb1G3CFZvc Another good one from Alton Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ9OLPC-dkE

I ended up with 2 drum sticks, 2 breasts, 2 thighs, and 2 wings. All of the pieces should include the bones, including the breast. Set it aside.

Create the brine Mix together in a large tupperware: ½ quart low fat buttermilk 1.5 sprigs fresh sage, bruised 1.5 sprigs fresh thyme, bruised 1.5 sprigs fresh rosemary, bruised 1 bay leaf 1/2 lemon: juice it, then add the zest 2 cloves garlic, smashed ¼ teaspoon cayenne ½ tablespoon siracha ½ tablespoon smoked paprika

Add all the chicken pieces, seal it, and put it in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Flip the chicken halfway through.

Create the egg/sauce mix In another tupperware, mix together: 3 eggs 1 cup siracha ⅔ cup water

Create the dredge In my cook, I just put 2 cups self rising flour in a tupperware.

Create the house seasoning Mix it together and put it into an old spice container or pizza shaker: 1 cup kosher salt ¼ cup black pepper ¼ cup garlic powder ¼ cup smoked paprika

The cook Do not cook the chicken cold. You want to time it so the chicken is near room temperature when you’re adding it to the oil. I waited about 45 minutes.

Add the oil to the pan. I filled mine just before ⅔ full. Bring the heat to 350, carefully monitoring using a thermometer. I had my burner at about 5.5/10.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and dump the brine down the drain. Remove all of the fresh herbs from the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.

Season the chicken liberally with the house seasoning. Using tongs, take the chicken and dunk it into the egg/hot sauce mixture. Let it drip dry, then transfer it over to the tupperware containing the self rising flour. I did 3-4 pieces at a time. Close the container and shake. Remove the chicken from the flour and shake it to remove excess flour.

Once you’re done you’ll have a big pile of chicken. Let it side for 5 minutes to allow the flour to set. Remember, you want to avoid putting cold chicken into the hot oil.

Once your oil is at 350, add the chicken. If you’re doing just one chicken, you can position it so everything ends up finishing around the same time. Put the thigh meat in the middle and everything else around it, with the white meat towards the edge of the pan. Skin side down. Cook it for 10-12 minutes, then flip it. Using your meat thermometer, track the inside temperature of the chicken breast. Remove it once it reaches 165 and put it on the cookie sheet / rack (do not use paper towels!).

Serve it hot. If you’re doing a bunch all at once, you can put it in the oven at 200 for a little while until it’s ready to serve.