CRISPY SKILLET-FRIED CHICKEN WITH A SPICY HONEY DRIZZLE

Crispy Skillet-fried Chicken with a Spicy Honey Drizzle image

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups buttermilk
2 cups peanut oil
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon rosemary

Steps:

First, marinate the chicken: Place the chicken pieces on a baking sheet. Season on both sides with salt and black pepper. Pour the buttermilk into a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken, cover the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, turning occasionally.
Before frying, pour enough peanut oil to reach a depth of 1-inch in a heavy large skillet, preferably cast-iron. Heat the oil to 350 to 365 degrees on a deep-frying thermometer.
In a large sealable plastic bag, combine the flour, rice flour, white pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder and celery salt. Close the bag and shake to blend. Remove 2 pieces of chicken from the buttermilk, place them in the bag, close the bag, and shake to coat them evenly. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Carefully add the chicken, skin side down, to the hot oil in the skillet. Fry until deep brown and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes per side depending on size, adjusting the heat to maintain the frying temperature; add the rosemary sprig to the oil, if you like. (A chicken piece will be cooked through if, after removing it from the oil, it registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat not touching bone.) Using tongs, transfer the cooked chicken to a rack.
Arrange the cooked chicken pieces on a napkin-lined platter. Place the lemon wedges around the chicken. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the honey. Stir in the extra cayenne to taste. Drizzle the honey over the chicken. Serve immediately.