Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, this buttermilk-coated fried chicken from celebrity chef Curtis Stone is finger-licking good. Serve alongside some crunchy potato chips or Curtis' Old-Fashioned Southern Biscuits, and don't leave a crumb behind.
- 4 teaspoons salt, divided
- One 4-pound whole chicken, backbone removed, chicken cut into 8 pieces
- 3 cups buttermilk
- About 6 cups grapeseed or canola oil, for deep-frying
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons dry mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
To marinate the chicken, massage 1 ½ teaspoons salt into the chicken pieces. Combine chicken and buttermilk in a large bowl or shallow dish, and turn chicken to ensure they are completely coated with buttermilk. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
To fry the chicken, preheat oven to 300˚F.
Add enough oil to fill a large wok or heavy sauté pan about halfway. Heat oil over medium-high until it registers 350˚F to 375˚F on a deep-fry thermometer.
In a shallow dish, stir together flour, dry mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and water.
Working with one chicken piece at a time, lift chicken from marinade, allowing any excess marinade to drip back into the dish, then dredge chicken in flour mixture to coat completely. Dredge the flour-coated chicken in the egg wash, then dredge chicken in the flour mixture again to coat completely.
Working in 2 to 3 batches, carefully place the coated chicken pieces in the hot oil and cook for about 12 minutes, turning as needed, until golden and almost cooked through. Using a skimmer, transfer the chicken pieces to a rack set on a baking sheet to drain any excess oil.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through but still moist and juicy. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and serve.
