Ingredients
3/4 cup Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Lemon, Peel Only
4 quarts Water
1 Whole Fryer Chicken, Cut in 6 Pieces
3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Rice Flour
3 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
3 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 teaspoons Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
3 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 quart Buttermilk
1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
2 quarts Fryer Oil
1/2 cup Butter, Unsalted, Room Temperature
2 tablespoons Honey
2 tablespoons Virtue Cider Michigan Honey
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Preparation
To brine the chicken, begin by combining 3/4 C kosher salt, 1/2 C sugar, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and the lemon peel in a large pot and heat just until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally
Cut the chicken breast pieces in half so they’re roughly the same size as the thighs; place chicken pieces in brine for 12-24 hours
When ready to fry, remove chicken from brine and dry with paper towels
For the dredge, mix flours, spices, 3 tsp kosher salt, and baking powder well
To begin breading the chicken, divide dredge into two deep containers
Pour buttermilk into a third container. Add paprika and salt
Batter chicken pieces one at a time by dipping first in the flour mixture, then buttermilk
Drip slightly, then coat in second dredge container (don’t let it get too thick!)
Rest on a plate while battering the rest of the chicken. Heat oil to 340 degrees F
Fry the chicken in batches making sure the oil is at a constant 315-320 degrees F
Place on a wire rack over a cookie sheet or paper towels to cool. Dust with paprika and salt
To make the Virtue Cider Michigan Honey Butter, whip all ingredients together until aerated and fluffy. Serve room temperature with hot chicken
