Popeyes-Style Spicy Fried Chicken

Melissa Hart

Popeyes-Style Spicy Fried Chicken

The heat is in both the buttermilk and the flour. It will not disappear when a piece of crust falls away. Press damp clumps of dredge onto the chicken for rugged edges. Dark meat gives you a wider margin before it dries out. A rack keeps the bottom crisp.

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp hot sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp kosher salt
6 cups peanut oil

Method

Refrigerate the chicken in the buttermilk and hot sauce for 4 hours, then let it drain for 5 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot to 325°F and mix the flour, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and salt.
Press each thigh into the flour mixture, mist the surface with a spoonful of marinade, and dredge again to build craggy patches.
Fry 2 pieces at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, turning twice, until deeply browned and 165°F at the thickest part without touching bone.
Rest the chicken on a rack for 8 minutes so the crust sets instead of steaming on paper towels.