Pickle Brined Spicy Fried Chicken

Start by making your brine. To a food processor or blender, add all the brine ingredients. Blend until you have a smooth consistency.

Add the chicken to a large sealable bag. Pour in the brine mixture, seal, and mix around. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

The following day, about 2 hours before you are going to make the chicken, take the chicken out of the refrigerator and set it aside.

Make your flour mixture. To a large bowl, add the flour, paprika, cayenne, and salt, and mix well.

Take each piece of chicken and thoroughly coat with the flour. Carefully shake off any excess flour, and set the floured pieces on a wire rack to rest and take more of the chill off, about 1 hour.

After 1 hour, return each flour piece of chicken to the bowl of flour, and coat again, shaking off any excess flour. Yes, we are doing this twice as I find it lends to a crispier coating. Return the pieces back to the wire rack and let rest for about 30 minutes more.

During this time, take a large cast iron skillet and place on the stove, over medium heat. Pour in the oil. Keep an eye on the oil temperature as you are looking for around 350ºF. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 225ºF.

Make the mayonnaise sauce if you are going that route. Mix the mayo and chili garlic seasoning until mixed and set in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.

Once the oil is heated, add chicken to oil, working in batches and being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook for about 6 minutes per side. Again, keep an eye on the oil temperature.

Once chicken is cooked, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Go ahead and serve with white bread slices and additional pickles, and if you are going the mayonnaise route, slather some onto a hot piece of chicken.