Cajun-Fried Chicken
What makes it Cajun-Fried?
A Cajun fried it.
Yield: 8-12 servings
Ingredients:
2, 3-4# whole chickens, broken down
Chicky-Chicky Boom-Boom, like a lot
Buttermilk Brine:
Eggs, 4 each
Buttermilk, 4 cups
Tabasco, ¾ cup
Chicky-Chicky Boom-Boom, ¼ cup
Kosher salt, ¼ Tbsp
Seasoned Flour:
All-Purpose flour, 4 1/2 cups
Cornstarch, 1 ½ cups
Baking Powder, 1 Tbsp
Chicky-Chicky Boom-Boom, ½ cup + 2 ½ Tbsp
Kosher salt, 1 Tbsp.
Equipment:
Sheet pans, 2 each
Wire rack, 2 each
Cast Iron skillet
Peanut oil
Method:
The night before, aggressively season the chicken. Divide the chicken into two gallon bags.
Morning of, whisk eggs until frothy. Whisk in buttermilk, hot sauce, and seasoning. Reserve two cups of brine. Divide the rest of the brine and pour into the two chicken bags. Massage into the chicken and make sure each piece is coated. Brine for 4-8 hours.
Mix all of the dry ingredients together and divide into three equal containers. This is so that as one flour mix gets too clumpy or runs out, you may replace it with fresh.
When using a fresh Seasoned Flour, add in 3 Tablespoons of the reserved brine and work into the batter with your fingers. This is so that the little clumps adhere to the chicken and make for little fried nooks and crannies to enjoy.
To Fry, Set oven to 375’F if using Conventional. Drip chicken from brine and set on wire rack with sheet pan underneath. Heat a large pot (like a 3” cast iron) over medium-high heat. Fill with a neutral oil about half-way up. Heat the oil to 375’F.
Coat the chicken pieces, about 3-4 at a time, in the seasoned flour. Be sure to really pack it on there.
Lay very carefully into the oil, do not over-crowd the pan, and leave it be for at least 3 minutes.
Agitate and move the pieces around and fry an additional 3 minutes.
Flip. I fried mine for another 3 minutes, removed and set onto the second sheet pan with a wire rack. Season with Chicky-Chicky Boom-Boom after removing, while still sizzling and hot. Continue to fry the remaining chicken.
After the sheet pan is filled, finish the cooking process by baking them in the oven for 8 minutes, or so, until fully cooked. It should read 165’F internally.
Serve this spicy Cajun-Fried Chicken with a drizzle of sweet honey!
Chef’s Notes:
If you run out of cornstarch like I did, potato starch will work.
No two ovens or stove-tops are the same. My stove is fickle, so I adjusted. My conventional oven wanted to steam the chicken at 300’F, so I bumped it up to 400’F. Know your kitchen equipment!
