recipe
yields
Serves 8
4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and soaked in a mixture of buttermilk and hot sauce (Texas Pete recommended) for 24 hours|2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons brown sugar , 2 tablespoons cumin, 2 tablespoons black pepper , 3 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon dried thyme , 1 tablespoon dried oregano , 1 tablespoon cayenne |1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour , ½ cup corn starch, ½ cup rice flour, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder , 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons paprika , ⅛ teaspoon cayenne |½ cup honey, ½ cup hot sauce |Peanut oil for frying, Grandma T’s buttermilk biscuits (recipe follows), Brown sugar mayo (recipe follows), Cold and crisp pickles (recipe follows), Carolina chow chow (recipe follows)|Note: Start pickles at least three days ahead of time and soak chicken a day before frying.
|For the rub: |For the dredge: |For honey hot sauce: |For assembly: |Special equipment: Deep fry thermometer |
steps
- Remove chicken from spicy buttermilk and place onto a plate. In a small bowl, combine rub ingredients. Sprinkle chicken with rub and let rest for 2 hours.
- In a small bowl, combine dredge ingredients. Lightly dust chicken with dredge, being sure to coat the pieces evenly but not over-flour. Let rest for 1 hour.
- Fry the chicken: In a cast-iron skillet or dutch oven, heat oil (enough to cover chicken) to 300 degrees. Working in batches, carefully lower chicken into oil and cook for 2½ minutes. Remove chicken to an elevated rack over a baking sheet and check that the internal temperature of each piece has reached 165 degrees. Return the oil to 300 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
- Make honey hot sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine honey and hot sauce. When ready to serve, toss chicken with sauce. Build each biscuit with crisp pickles, fried chicken, chow chow, and brown sugar mayo. Serve immediately.
Grandma T’s Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups self-rising flour, spooned and leveled
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup shortening
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk, or enough for dough to resemble cottage cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour, for shaping
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for preparing pan
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and arrange a rack slightly below the center. Butter an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together self-rising flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, work in shortening until there are no large lumps. Gently stir in cream, then slowly add buttermilk until dough resembles wet cottage cheese. (If you are not using a low-protein flour, such as White Lily, this may take more than 1 cup of buttermilk.)
- Spread the all-purpose flour on a plate (don’t use self-rising flour here, as the leavener will make the outside of the biscuits bitter). With a medium ice cream scoop (about 2 inches), scoop three or four balls of dough and place well apart in flour. Sprinkle flour over each. With floured hands, coat dough balls in flour, then gently shape into rounds, shaking off excess as you work. Transfer dough into prepared pan, placing each close together in the pan so they rise up instead of spreading out. Continue scooping and shaping until all dough is used.
- Bake biscuits until lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Brush with melted butter. Invert cake pan onto a plate, then back onto another plate so the biscuits are right-side up. With a knife or spatula, cut quickly between biscuits to make them easy to remove. Serve immediately.
Brown Sugar Mayo
¼-½ cup brown sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
In a medium bowl, combine ingredients. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the brown sugar melts into the mayonnaise. The end result should be smooth and golden brown.
Carolina Chow Chow
This recipe makes more than you’ll need for the chicken biscuits. The leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. Use it as a condiment to smoked pork loin or a side dish to barbecued chicken.
½ cup sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups diced green cabbage
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ diced green bell pepper
½ diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon turmeric
In a large pot over medium heat, combine sugar, vinegar, salt, celery seed, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes, and bring to a simmer. Add diced vegetables and cook until onions become translucent, then add the turmeric and stir to incorporate. Cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the chow chow from the pan and allow to cool to room temperature.
Cold and Crisp Pickles
1¼ cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 sweet onion, julienned
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 sprig of fresh dill
2 English cucumbers, cut into ½-inch rounds
- In a medium saucepan, combine 3½ cups of water with vinegar, salt, sugar, red pepper flakes, and mustard seeds. Bring to a boil, then add onion, garlic, and dill and remove from heat. Cool completely, preferably overnight.
- 2. Place cucumber slices in a mason jar and cover with the pickling liquid. Leave covered in the liquid for at least 3 days before using.
From Birds on Biscuits.
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- From Thomas Marlow, Mimosa Grill, Charlotte, North Carolina