Hot Chicken

Source: Tasty.com

Click here to read about my experience making this recipe for my state meal challenge!

Servings: 6

Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 chicken breasts, cut into 6 cutlets
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbs hot sauce
• Oil for frying
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp cayenne powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Drizzle of honey (optional)
• Burger buns, pickle chips, and coleslaw for sandwiches

DIRECTIONS

• Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry, then put the pieces in a large bowl and toss with black pepper and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat frying oil in a Dutch oven until it reaches 350 degrees F. Put a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside. 
• Put the flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl mix the buttermilk and hot sauce. Take about 1 Tbs of the buttermilk mixture and stir it into the flour to make small clumps. 
• Dredge the chicken in the flour, then into the buttermilk, then coating in flour again, shaking off any excess.
• Fry the chicken two pieces at a time until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 4 minutes each side. Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until all pieces are fried.
• In a small bowl, mix together the oil, honey, brown sugar, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder. While the chicken is still hot, brush the sauce over each piece until coated evenly. Drizzle with honey if desired.
• Serve hot on burger buns topped with pickles and coleslaw!

NOTES

• If saving some chicken for later, only put the hot sauce on the pieces you’re eating right away, so the leftovers don’t get soggy.