FRIED CHICKEN WITH HONEY-PINK PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Fried Chicken with Honey-Pink Peppercorn Sauce image

Provided by Bobby Flay

Time 1h40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

1 quart buttermilk
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili de arbol powder, or 2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 chickens (3 to 4 pounds each), cut up into 8 pieces each
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
Peanut oil, for deep-frying
Honey-Pink Peppercorn Sauce, recipe follows
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, toasted and coarsely chopped
Grated zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Whisk together the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons salt and the chili de arbol in a large bowl or large baking dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
Stir together the flour, garlic and onion powders, paprika and cayenne in a large baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Pull the chicken out of the buttermilk, gently shaking off any excess liquid. Dredge the pieces a few at a time in the flour mixture and pat off any excess. Then dip back into the buttermilk and allow any excess to drain off. Dredge again in the seasoned flour and pat off the excess. Put the chicken pieces on a baking rack set over a baking sheet while the oil heats.
Pour about 3 inches of oil into a deep cast-iron skillet; the oil should not come more than halfway up the sides of the skillet . Put the skillet over medium-high heat and heat the oil to 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
Working in batches, add the chicken pieces to the hot oil, 3 or 4 at a time, and fry, turning the pieces occasionally, until evenly golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a rack to drain; repeat to cook the remaining pieces.
Drizzle the fried chicken with the Honey-Pink Peppercorn Sauce.
Stir together the honey, peppercorns, lime zest and juice in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit at room temperature.