Nashville Hot Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1 tbsp fine salt
• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 tsp fine salt, for the dredge
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 quarts vegetable oil or lard, for frying
• 3 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp sweet paprika, for the paste
• 1 tsp garlic powder, for the paste
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt, for the paste
• 8 slices soft white bread
• 1 cup dill pickle chips

Before you cook

• Whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce and 1 tablespoon of salt together in a large bowl.
• Submerge the chicken pieces in the buttermilk, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Whisk the flour with 2 teaspoons of salt, the black pepper, garlic powder and paprika in a wide dish.
• Whisk the cayenne, brown sugar, remaining paprika, remaining garlic powder, chilli powder and remaining salt together in a heatproof bowl and set it near the stove.
• Set a wire rack over a baking tray.
• Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before frying so it loses its chill.

Steps

1. Lift one piece of chicken from the buttermilk and let the excess drip back into the bowl.
2. Press the chicken firmly into the seasoned flour on both sides, then shake off the loose flour and set it on the rack.
3. Coat the remaining pieces the same way and leave them on the rack for 15 minutes so the crust can set.
4. Pour the oil into a deep heavy pot to a depth of two inches and heat it to 325F.
5. Lower three or four pieces of chicken into the oil, skin side down, without crowding the pot.
6. Fry the chicken for 8 minutes, keeping the oil between 300F and 325F.
7. Turn the pieces over and fry them for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is deep mahogany and a thermometer in the thickest part reads 165F.
8. Lift the chicken onto a clean wire rack to drain and fry the remaining pieces the same way.
9. Carefully ladle 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil into the bowl of cayenne and spices.
10. Whisk the paste hard for 30 seconds until it is smooth, glossy and the colour of brick.
11. Brush the paste generously over every surface of the hot chicken, using all of it.
12. Lay two slices of white bread on each plate and set the chicken on top so the bread soaks up the spiced fat.
13. Pile the pickle chips over the chicken and serve at once.