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Ingredients:

Brine

• 2 quarts water
• 12 regular black tea bags
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 pounds of thighs and drum sticks
• 2 cups whole milk buttermilk (if you don’t have, you can easily make yourself by mixing two tbsp white vinegar with two cups whole milk and letting sit at room temperature for 15 minutes)
• 3 tbsp hot sauce

Flour mixture

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika

• Canola oil

Directions:

Brine:

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Remove from heat and let tea bags steep for 10 minutes
2. Remove tea bags and add sugar and salt, stir until dissolved
3. Let brine cool until it reaches room temperature then add chicken
4. Refrigerate for 12 hours

To Prepare Chicken:

1. Remove from brine and let chicken sit in bowl of ice water for 5 minutes
2. Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl and soak chicken for an hour at room temperature
3. Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry
4. Combine flour mixture in bowl
5. Toss chicken in flour mixture to combine thoroughly
6. Cover chicken and mixture and refrigerate for 6-8 hours
7. 30 minutes before cooking, remove chicken from mixture, shake off excess flour and let sit on wire rack until it reaches room temperture
8. Heat canola oil to 300 degrees – if frying in multiple batched, make sure to put oil through a strainer to get rid of breading that could burn it between frying
9. Fry skin side down for five minutes, flip chicken, cover and fry for another five minutes. Make sure to carefully monitor oil temperature once pan is covered, since oil can overheat and burn the chicken.
10. Flip again and fry for three minutes while covered.
11. Flip one last time, cover and fry for two more minutes. Internal temperature should reach 170 degrees and outside should be golden brown
12. Let rest on wire rack for 5 minutes