Serves 4
Oil, for frying
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skin-on
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) cornstartch
2 tablespoons (25 mL) Ultimate Barbecue Spice Mix (recipe here)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) salt
2 cups (500 mL) buttermilk
Preheat oil in electric deep-frying appliance to 360°F (180°C). Careful: keep children and pets away from hot oil.
On a clean work surface, cut each chicken breast into 6 long strips about 1/2-inch (12-mm) thick. Cover and reserve in the refrigerator until needed.
In each of two large bowls, equally divide the flour, cornstarch, barbecue spice mixture and salt. In one of the bowls, add buttermilk and whisk until smooth. Add the chicken strips to the batter and toss to coat well.
Remove chicken strips one at a time from the batter and roll in the bowl of dry ingredients. Repeat until all strips are coated. Fry until golden brown (about 4 to 5 minutes). Drain on paper towels.
Ultimate Barbecue Spice Mix - Makes about 21/2 cups (625 mL)
1 cup (250 mL) smoked paprika
1/2 cup (125 mL) Spanish paprika
1/2 cup (125 mL) chili powder
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground cumin
1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground coriander
1 tablespoon (15 mL) dry mustard
1 teaspoon (5 mL) curry powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.