Pickle Brined Fried Chicken With Hot Honey Sauce Food

PICKLE-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Add the chicken thighs and 1/2 cup pickle brine to a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally to marinate evenly.
• While the chicken marinates, prepare the pickle mayonnaise: Finely chop 8 dill pickle coins. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, capers and chopped pickles; season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When ready to cook the chicken, pour the buttermilk into a wide shallow bowl. In a separate wide shallow bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, onion powder and 1 tablespoon each salt and pepper; whisk to combine.
• In a large Dutch oven or deep cast-iron skillet, add 2 inches of oil and, over medium-high, heat to 325 degrees, about 5 minutes.
• Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the brine, transfer to the buttermilk and turn to coat. Lift chicken from the buttermilk, allowing the excess liquid to drip off, then add it to the flour mixture and turn to coat, patting extra flour mixture on top to ensure the chicken is well coated on all surfaces. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Working in two batches, add the chicken to the hot oil and cook, turning every 1 to 2 minutes, until crust is deep golden and chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool and season with salt and pepper. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of the thigh should read at least 165 degrees.) Repeat with the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat to ensure that the oil maintains a temperature of 325 degrees.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large, preferably nonstick, skillet over medium. Add 2 buns, split-side down, and cook until warmed and toasted, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining butter and buns.
• Make the coleslaw by tossing the cabbage with half of the pickle mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Slather the remaining pickle mayonnaise on the bottom of the buns and top with the chicken, red onion, remaining pickles and coleslaw. Serve with hot sauce, if using.

PICKLE-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag; cover with pickle juice. Seal and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Drain pickle juice from thighs. Cover chicken; refrigerate until ready to fry.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 2 inches oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pour buttermilk and flour into 2 separate bowls. Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in buttermilk. Toss in flour. Return to buttermilk and toss in flour a second time. Place chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet.
• Fill Dutch oven with as many thighs as possible without crowding. Cook at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Place thighs on the baking sheet. Repeat until all pieces are fried. Transfer thighs to the oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 5 to 8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Season with a pinch of salt.

PICKLE-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Drain the juice from the jars of pickles into a baking dish or bowl. Add the chicken and flip to coat. Let brine, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Fill a Dutch oven halfway with oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 320 degrees F.
• In 3 bowls or baking dishes, set up a breading station. In the first dish, mix the flour with the salt, paprika and pepper. In the second dish, mix the hot sauce, mustard and eggs. Put the cracker crumbs in the third dish.
• Dredge each chicken piece first in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, then in the crackers. Place the breaded chicken pieces in the oil a few at a time. Don't overcrowd the pan; the pieces should not be touching in the oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until the chicken is a deep golden brown and fully cooked to 165 degrees F when checked with a thermometer, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven until ready to serve.

HOT HONEY CRISPY CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the seasoning flour: Mix together the flour, seafood seasoning, salt, paprika, mustard powder and pepper and divide between 2 plates or shallow bowls.
• For the brine: Mix together the buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, celery seed, smoked paprika and pepper and divide between 2 plates or shallow bowls.
• Coat the chicken in the brine, then seasoning flour, then the second bowl of brine and the second bowl of seasoning flour and shake off excess; place on a rack.
• Heat a few inches of oil in a Dutch oven or tabletop fryer to 365 degrees F. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary until deep golden and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• For the buffalo honey sauce: In a small pot, melt the butter and add the honey, hot sauce, Worcestershire and garlic and simmer gently to thicken. Serve the fried chicken with the sauce.

PICKLE-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Brine:
• Toast mustard and coriander seeds in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, tossing often, until mustard seeds begin to pop, about 3 minutes. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until salt and sugar are dissolved, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in dill and 4 cups water. Let cool.
• Chicken:
• Place chicken and brine in a large resealable plastic bag; chill 3 hours. Remove chicken from brine, scraping off seeds, cover, and chill until ready to fry.
• Fit a large pot with thermometer and pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°F.
• Meanwhile, place buttermilk in a large bowl. Place flour in another large bowl; season with kosher salt. Working in batches, coat chicken in buttermilk, then dredge in flour, dipping your fingers in buttermilk as you pack flour on to help create moistened, shaggy bits (the makings of a super-crisp crust); transfer to a baking sheet.
• Working in batches and returning oil to 350° between batches, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet.
• Drizzle chicken with honey; sprinkle with sea salt and benne seeds. Serve with hot sauce alongside.

FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Chicken: Mix salt, sugar and baking powder in a small bowl. Season chicken all over with salt mixture (you won't need all of it). Chill uncovered on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Seasoned Mayonnaise: Combine garlic and lemon juice in a medium bowl; let sit 10 minutes. Mix in mayonnaise, chives, celery seeds and pepper; season with salt.
• Assembly: Whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and 2 Tbsp. table salt in a medium bowl. Whisk egg, buttermilk, bourbon (if using) and 3 Tbsp. hot sauce in another medium bowl. Working with 1 piece thigh at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, turning to coat and packing into crevices. Shake to remove excess; return to rack.
• Pour 3 Tbsp. buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and work in with your fingers. Dip chicken into remaining buttermilk mixture, allow excess to drip off, then pack moistened flour mixture firmly onto chicken. Gently shake off excess; return to rack. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
• Pour oil into a large heavy pot fitted with thermometer to come halfway up sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in 2 batches, fry chicken, turning often and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until deep golden brown, 5-8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain.
• Heat a dry large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Brush cut sides of buns with butter and, working in batches, cook, cut side down, until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch.
• Mix 1 Tbsp. pickle brine into 2 Tbsp. Of the seasoned mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Add lettuce, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread some seasoned mayonnaise over cut sides of buns. Build sandwiches with pickles, fried chicken, slaw and more hot sauce, if desired.

SKILLET HOT HONEY CHICKEN WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Steps:

• Mix 1 tablespoon of the hot sauce and 1 tablespoon of the honey together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, remaining 2 tablespoons hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss until combined.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the panko is golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a small bowl and stir in the chives; set aside.
• Return the skillet to the stovetop and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
• Add the chicken and any juices left in the bowl and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, 6 to 7 minutes. Fold in the remaining 1 tablespoon of honey until just combined. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Add the Brussels sprouts and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the skillet and toss to combine with any residual juices and oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Brussels sprouts are bright green and starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, until the sprouts are tender and caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Divide the Brussels sprouts among four bowls and top each with some chicken. Drizzle the reserved hot sauce-honey mixture over the chicken, then sprinkle each serving with some of the panko mixture.

PICKLE BRINED FRIED CHICKEN WITH HOT HONEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, vinegar, pickling spices, bay leaf, 1/4 cup salt and 2 cups cold water in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring, until the salt and sugar dissolve. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice. Remove the brine from the heat and pour it over the ice to cool to room temperature. Add the chicken skin-side down, being sure to keep the chicken submerged. If the chicken is not completely covered in brine, add more cold water. Cover the pot and let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate up to overnight.
• When you're ready to fry the chicken, pour enough oil into a large Dutch oven to reach about a third of the way up the side and deep enough to submerge the chicken. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with wire racks.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and place in a large bowl with the buttermilk. Put the flour in a large paper bag. Season the flour with the dill, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and remaining tablespoon salt. A few pieces at a time, transfer the chicken to the bag with the flour and shake well to coat. Place the coated chicken on the wire rack-lined cookie sheet.
• Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and the internal temperature measures 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove to another wire rack-lined baking sheet and transfer to the oven while you cook the rest of the chicken. Let cool slightly before serving with the Hot Honey Sauce.
• Stir together the honey, butter, hot sauce, paprika and cayenne in a small saucepot over medium heat. Heat and stir until smooth and all ingredients are combined.