Fried chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 roasting hens, each cut into 8 pieces
• 4 and 1/4 cups of sour milk or kefir
• 5 cups of flour
• 3 tablespoons of seasoned salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp ground dried thyme
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper + more to taste
• 1/4 cup milk
• Rapeseed or vegetable oil for frying
• Special equipment: deep fat thermometer

Preparation:

1. Rinse the chicken pieces thoroughly, then place them in a bowl and pour 4 cups of sour milk over them. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
2. When you're ready to fry, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes to allow the chicken to warm up slightly.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C. In a very large bowl, combine the flour, seasoning salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of buttermilk and milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and gradually stir with a fork until small clumps form; these will stick to the chicken and create a crispier crust. If necessary, add a little more flour or milk to create a slightly lumpy breading.
5. In a deep skillet, heat 4–5 cm of oil over medium-high heat to 180°C (350°F). Reduce the heat slightly if necessary to prevent the oil from burning.
6. Thoroughly coat each chicken piece in the breading. Place the pieces on a plate.
7. Fry the breaded chicken in oil, 3-4 pieces at a time, making sure they don't stick together. Cover the pan and fry for 5-7 minutes, checking periodically to make sure the chicken isn't getting too browned. Turn the pieces over, cover again, and fry for another 3-5 minutes. Monitor the oil temperature throughout this time to prevent burning.
8. Transfer the fried chicken to a baking sheet and continue frying the remaining pieces. When all the chicken is fried, transfer the wings and legs to a plate and cover. By this time, they should be fully cooked, but always check for pink juices when you pierce the meat. If this happens, return the chicken to the hot oil and fry for about a minute, until fully cooked. Leave the thighs and breasts on the baking sheet.
9. Bake the thighs and breasts for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Sometimes I cut into the thicker part of one of the larger pieces just to make sure the chicken is cooked through. If the juices run pink, the chicken needs to be finished in the oven.