Brine:

1 chicken cut into 8 pieces
¾ cup kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. smoked chili flake
Peel of one lemon
Peel of one orange
One gallon of water

Combine ingredients in a pot and heat over medium heat until sugar and salt dissolve. Chill overnight. Once the brine has been chilled, place the chicken in the brine for 12 to 24 hours.  Remove the chicken and dry off excess moisture.

Dredge:

3.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 tbsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. sweet smoked pimenton
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. baking powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk till evenly mixed. 

Batter and Fry:

Brined chicken
Prepared dredge
1 qt. buttermilk
1.5 qt. canola oil
16 oz. duck fat

Divide dredge into two medium bowls and pour buttermilk into a third. Batter each piece of chicken one at a time. Dip chicken in dredge first to get a light coating. Then submerge chicken in the buttermilk. Remove chicken from buttermilk and let excess drip off slightly. Place chicken in the second dredge and evenly coat. Place chicken on a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat the process with remaining pieces. Place the sheet pan of chicken in the fridge for 3-4 hours. This will help the crust stick to the meat once the chicken is fried. Remove chicken from the fridge 30 minutes prior to frying.

Place oil and duck fat in a cast iron pot. Heat oil to 340 degrees prior to adding chicken. Fry the chicken in batches. The oil temperature will drop when the chicken is added. Fry the chicken at a constant 315-320 degrees. This will require adjusting the heat throughout the frying process. Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 150-155 degrees. Remove chicken from the oil and place on another sheet lined with paper towels and wire rack.

Just before serving, dust chicken with the finishing dust and hot sauce.

Finishing Dust:

2 tbsp. sweet smoked pimenton
1 tbsp. kosher salt

Combine salt and paprika in a spice grinder and grind to a fine dust. Use a fine mesh sieve to dust the chicken just before serving.

Hot Sauce:

3 jalapeño peppers
2 cloves of garlic
12 oz. unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. sugar
½ teaspoon xanthan gum powder

Char the peppers completely on a stove top or grill. Once charred, place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the peppers rest for ten minutes. Take peppers out of the bowl, remove excess charred skin, and the stems. Place jalapeños in a blender with remaining ingredients. Blend on high speed for two minutes. Adjust seasoning, pour in a bottle, and store in the fridge. 

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