Nashville Hot Chicken

Ingredients

• 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 2 tbsp hot sauce
• 1½ cups flour
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 4 cups neutral oil, for frying
• 4 slices white bread and dill pickles, to serve
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Soak the chicken in buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt for at least 30 minutes.
2. Season the flour with 1½ teaspoons salt and plenty of black pepper. Dredge the chicken, dip briefly back in the buttermilk, and dredge again — the double coat is the armor.
3. Fry at 350°F (175°C), turning once, 7–9 minutes until deep golden and 165°F (74°C) inside. Rest on a rack.
4. Carefully whisk ½ cup of the hot frying oil with the cayenne, brown sugar, paprika, and garlic powder — it will bloom into a brick-red potion.
5. Brush (or ladle, if you're brave) the spicy oil over the hot chicken and serve on white bread with pickles, the traditional first responders.