EXTRA-CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Extra-Crispy Fried Chicken image

Provided by Tyler Florence

Time 4h40m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

Two 3- to 3 1/2-pound whole chickens
2 bunches fresh rosemary
2 bunches fresh sage
2 bunches fresh thyme
10 fresh bay leaves
3 cloves plus 1 head garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
4 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Grapeseed oil, for deep-frying
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup garlic powder
1/2 cup onion powder
1 tablespoon flaked salt, such as Maldon, to finish
4 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Roughly chop 1 bunch rosemary, sage and thyme, 5 of the bay leaves and the 3 garlic cloves. Add to a bowl, and mix with the olive oil, 3 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons pepper. Rub the birds with the herb mixture so it sticks to the skin. Transfer the chickens to a roasting pan.
Roast for 2 1/2 hours, or until the temperature between the breast and thigh near the bone registers 150 degrees F. At this stage the chickens are 75-percent cooked. Set aside to cool.
When cool enough to handle, break down the birds into 10 pieces each, with the breasts boneless and halved. You will end up with a wing, leg, thigh and 2 pieces breast meat per half chicken.
In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce and sugar. Submerge the chicken pieces in the buttermilk and let sit for 30 minutes.
Fill a large, heavy pot with grapeseed oil to a depth of 3 inches. Turn the heat on, and add the remaining bunches rosemary, sage and thyme, the remaining 5 bay leaves and the head of garlic, broken into cloves. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. The herbs and garlic will crisp up and perfume the oil as it comes to temperature. Once they are crispy, remove them to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside--they will serve as a garnish for the finished dish.
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, rice flour, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/3 cup salt and 1/4 cup black pepper; mix thoroughly. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk (do not dry) and coat well in the flour mixture.
Without over-crowding the pot, fry the breaded chicken until all the pieces are golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a clean kitchen cloth and season with flaked salt and freshly ground pepper.
Line a serving platter with a paper bag, brown parchment paper or a clean napkin. Pile the chicken onto the platter. Serve with the fried herbs and garlic and the lemon wedges.