The brine:
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon hot chili powder
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
Mix well and marinate chicken wings (or thighs or drumsticks) for at least 6 hours. I do it in a big ziplock type bag.
Breading:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 teaspoon mild chili powder.
Mix thoroughly then dip the marinated chicken into breading, coating well. Set on rack to dry out a bit (about 20-30 minutes) before frying. I brown the chicken in the oil, (I use peanut oil, but canola would be fine) then finish on a rack pan in a 160c (fan assisted) oven for half an hour. Thighs take a bit longer.
Notes: I combine hot and mild chili powder because using all hot makes them too spicy for us. Mild, not enough.
Plain kefir works well if you can’t find buttermilk.
If you skip drying them out all the breading falls off.
I tried this with boneless, skinless breast to make nuggets, but the breast meat practically disintegrated in the brine. Texture was awful. Stick to dark meat.
I serve with homemade blue cheese dressing, chips, and a veg.
Blue Cheese Dressing:
In a bowl, crumble 2-3 ounces of blue cheese (I use Stilton)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt + pepper
Mix well and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Keeps well.
