Sweet Tea Oven-Fried Chicken

In a medium bowl, add the chicken pieces. In a small glass, whisk together the buttermilk, sweet tea concentrate and the first amount of salt. Stir well to dissolve the salt. Pour this mixture over the chicken, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 48 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 F. In a cast iron skillet, add the butter and oil. When the oven reaches 425 F, place the skillet on the center rack in the oven.

Next, you are ready to bread your chicken. Put the flour, salt and pepper into a shallow bowl. Remove the pieces from the marinade, but reserve the marinade. Add the wet pieces of chicken into the flour mixture and use your hands to toss to coat each with flour. Then, repeat the process: back in the buttermilk-sweet tea marinade again and then again in the flour to coat. You just double-battered your chicken.

Carefully, remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and arrange the chicken pieces in the pan. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Flip the chicken, then bake for another 14-18 minutes. Test the chicken with a thermometer—it should read 165 F in the thickest part of the meat and the juices should run clear. If it’s not quite there cook for a few minutes longer.

When it hits 165 F, immediately remove the chicken from the oven, set skillet on a rack and let chicken cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes:
– This recipe requires a good amount of marinating time so plan ahead!
– I used Moonshine sweet tea concentrate for my marinade, but if you can’t find it, just boil down 1.5 cups until you get ½ cup of sweet tea concentrate.