Ingredients
1 whole Chicken, cut into pieces
Brine
1 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Thai Curry Powder
1+ teaspoons Kosher Sea Salt
Thai Pepper + Herb Relish
1-3 Thai peppers, minced, use number of peppers based on how spicy you'd like it. Ray likes things very spicy so when it just us two, I add 6 peppers.
1 Shallot, minced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground White Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
Juice of 2 limes
3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
1/4 cup each of loose packed leaves: Thai Basil, Mint and Cilantro, finely chopped
Buttermilk Coating
1/3 cup Corn Starch
Zest of 2 Limes
1/4 cup Ground Peanuts
1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
2 teaspoons Thai Curry Powder
1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic
1 Tablespoon Granulated Onion
2 teaspoons Ground White Pepper
2 teaspoons Ground Yellow Mustard
2 teaspoons Kosher Sea Salt
1 1/4 cup Flour
3 Tablespoons Buttermilk
Oven-Fry
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Peanut or other Oil
Preparation
FOR THE BRINE:
Generously salt cut chicken and allow to rest 30 minutes.
Dissolve a teaspoon of Kosher Sea Salt into the cup of buttermilk and whisk in 1 teaspoon Thai Curry Powder.
Place chicken pieces into a large container or bag for brining.
Pour buttermilk mixture over the chicken and brine refrigerated for at least 8 hours. (When I am in a hurry I will leave it at room temperature and brine only for one hour, but I am not sure if there is any food safety implications to doing that, so take that thought with a grain of salt).
FOR THE THAI PEPPER + HERB RELISH:
Add all the ingredients to a canning jar, screw the lid tightly and give a vigorous shake to combine.
Place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight, or allow to marinate at room temperature for at least and hour.
FOR THE BUTTERMILK COATING:
In medium bowl, whisk cornstarch, ground peanuts, lime zest and all the dry spices together.
Whisk the flour into the mixture until well combined.
Add the buttermilk to the spice mixture.
Using your fingers, rub it into the mixture until shaggy pieces of dough form and the mixture is uniform.
FOR OVEN-FRYING THE CHICKEN:
Place a large or multiple cast iron pans in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Remove chick from brine and dry well.
One at a time, dip chicken pieces into the egg to coat, then roll in the buttermilk coating mixture until well coated.
Set piece on a cooling rack line or wax paper lined baking sheet.
Once all the chicken is coated and the oven has reached full temperature, working quickly, add oil to the preheated cast iron pan (if you use multiple pans you will need 1/2 cup of oil for each pan) and arrange chicken pan skin side down.
Quickly place back into the oven.
Cook for 15 minutes.
Pull pans out of the oven and turn chicken pieces and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
Chicken breasts should register about 160 degrees and thighs and legs about 175 degrees.
Move chicken pieces skin side up on paper towel lined wire rack set over a baking sheet to absorb grease from the underside of chicken.
Then remove paper towel to cool on the rack for about 5 minutes before serving. Chicken will continue to crisp up as it rests.
Either serve with Thai Pepper + Herbs relish on the side or brushed over chicken pieces.
