Making Kentucky Fried Chicken means taking down Colonel Sanders. So pleeeeaaase stop saying that I look like him.
INGREDIENTS:
Biscuits:
2.5 cups (375g) of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (24g) baking powder
2 teaspoons (12) fine sea salt
1 teaspoon (4) granulated sugar
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup (237ml) buttermilk + more for brushing
Mashed Potatoes:
3 lbs (1360g) russet potatoes, peeled and 1” chunks
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
1 head of garlic cut in half
1 shallot, quartered
1 cup (237ml) milk
1/2 cup (118ml) heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
Gravy:
4 tablespoons (56) butter
4 tablespoons (41g) of all-purpose flour
2 cups (473ml) chicken stock
1 tablespoon (12g) mushroom seasoning
1 teaspoon (4g) hon dashi
1 sprig rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Cole Slaw:
4 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced and washed
2 carrots, grated
2.5 teaspoons (12g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (19g) white vinegar
1/2 cup (110g) mayonnaise
3 tablespoons (49g) creme fraiche
salt and pepper to taste
Fried Chicken:
Marinade:
2 cups (473ml) buttermilk
1 tablespoon (11g) salt
1.5 teaspoons (8g) MSG
2 teaspoons (6g) white pepper
1 tablespoon (6g) sweet paprika
1 tablespoon (10g) garlic powder
4 small bones in chicken thighs
4 small bone-in chicken drumsticks
11 Herbs and Spices:
3 cups (450g) of all-purpose flour
2.5 tablespoons (28g) kosher salt
1.25 tablespoons (18g) MSG
2 tablespoons (12g) sweet paprika
2 tablespoons (18g) ground white pepper
1 tablespoon (6g) mustard powder
2 teaspoons (5g) celery powder
1 tablespoon (12g) garlic powder
2 teaspoons (6g) black pepper, fresh ground
1 tablespoon (6g) ginger powder
2 teaspoons (1.5g) dried thyme, crushed
2 teaspoons (0.8g) dried oregano, crushed
Vegetable oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS:
Biscuits:
Recipe in my book (add a link to website)
Mashed Potatoes:
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add potatoes and cook until fork tender. Drain and pass through a potato ricer while still hot.
Set a sauce pot over medium heat, add butter, garlic, shallots, milk, and heavy cream, and heat up until steaming hot. Once the butter is melted, cut off the heat and steep for 5 minutes; strain half of that liquid into your mashed potatoes and mix until combined; add more if necessary or until you get the desired consistency—season with salt to taste.
Gravy:
Set a sauce pot over medium-high heat, and add butter; once melted, whisk in flour and cook while continuously stirring for around 30 seconds.
Next, whisk in chicken stock and heat until it begins to thicken. Then add mushroom seasoning and hon dashi.
Once thickened, cut off the heat and add rosemary and thyme. Let it steep for 10 minutes, remove the herbs, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cole Slaw:
In a medium bowl, add cabbage, red onion, carrots, sugar, and salt to pepper to taste. Then add vinegar, creme fraiche, and mayonnaise; mix until fully incorporated.
Fried Chicken:
Marinade:
In a large bowl, add buttermilk, salt, MSG, white pepper, sweet paprika, and garlic powder. Whisk until combined, then add chicken thighs and drumsticks; toss to coat and let it marinade at room temperature for 5 minutes or ideally overnight in the fridge.
11 Herbs and Spices:
In a medium bowl, add flour and all the spices and whisk until combined.
Fill up a heavy bottom pot just over halfway, at least 2” inches of vegetable oil. Heat to 330F.
Drizzle a few tablespoons of your marinade into the flour mixture, and toss to create little balls of dredge. Remove the chicken from the marinade, then toss and press your chicken into the dredge until each piece gets coated. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
In 2 to 3 batches, gently lay down your chicken into your hot oil, and fry for 6 - 8 minutes or until deep golden brown, and your thermometer reads to read 165F. Remove and drain on a wire rack and repeat with the rest of your chicken.
Enjoy your fried chicken with a side of your mashed potatoes, gravy, slaw, and your homemade baked biscuits.
