Picnic Fried Chicken

Picnic Fried Chicken:

4 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces

4 cups flour, divided               

2 tbsp. salt       

2  tbsp. + 2 rounded tsp. black pepper    

2 tbsp. Bell’s Seasoning            

1 tbsp. garlic powder              

1 tbsp. onion powder              

1 tbsp. paprika             

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk    

canola or vegetable oil for frying

Simple Brine:

6 cups water, divided

3 tbsp. Kosher salt

3 tbsp. sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the brine, bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small pan. Add Kosher salt and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour into a container large enough to hold all of the chicken. Add the remaining 5 cups of cold water and stir. Place chicken pieces in bowl. Make sure they are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 1.5 to 2 hours.

In a large zip lock bag combine 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, pepper, Bell’s Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Shake to thoroughly to combine.

Place the remaining 1 1/2 cup flour in a separate zip lock bag.

Beat eggs and 1/4 cup milk in a shallow bowl.

Drain brine. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place a couple of pieces in the plain flour and shake to coat. Shake off excess. Dip in egg wash. Place in seasoned flour and shake to coat. Shake off excess. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all of the chicken pieces are coated.

In a large heavy bottom frying pan, add about 1 inch of oil. Heat to 350 degrees F. Place a few chicken pieces in at a time.  Don’t crowd. It will bring the oil temperature down too much. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. The cooking  time depends on the size of the chicken. Larger pieces will cook longer than smaller ones. Done when batter is golden brown, the juices run clear, and internal temperature is at 165° F. Place on a wire rack to drain.

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