Whether Southern-fried, Kentucky-fried,
or simple chicken nuggets, the chicken sure does make for some mighty fine
eating once spice-coated and plunged into hot oil.
Makes 4
INGREDIENTS
FOR
THE BRINE FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp superfine (caster) sugar
1¼ cups (300ml) buttermilk
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
(each about 6oz/175g)
FOR
THE SEASONED FLOUR:
Scant 1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose (plain)
flour
1½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
½
tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp superfine
(caster) sugar
2 tsp sea salt
Peanut (groundnut) oil, for deep-frying
4 soft white rolls, split open
Mayonnaise
Shredded iceberg lettuce
To make the brine solution for the chicken, mix the salt, sugar, and
buttermilk together in a bowl. Submerge the chicken breasts in this
buttermilk-brine mixture, then cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. The next day,
when you are ready to cook, allow the chicken to come back to room temperature
before cooking it.
To make the seasoned flour, mix the flour and
all the other ingredients together in a wide shallow dish. Take a couple of
tablespoonfuls of the buttermilk-brine mixture from the chicken and sprinkle it
into the seasoned flour, mixing it about. This will help to create a more
craggy surface on the finished fried chicken.
Heat some peanut (groundnut) oil in a large,
heavy-based frying pan or skillet to a depth of ¾in (2cm) and to a temperature
of 350ºF (180°C).
Wipe as much of the buttermilk-brine mixture
from the chicken as possible using paper towels, and then dip each breast into
the seasoned flour, coating well all over. Cook the chicken in the hot oil for
about 5–6 minutes on each side, turning once, until golden and cooked through
(the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts).
Drain the chicken breasts on a rack set over
some paper towels.
Lightly toast the rolls, then generously spread
the bottom half of each one with mayo. Top each one with some lettuce, a hot
fried chicken breast, and then the other half of the roll. Serve now!
