Fermented Hot Sauce Brined Fried Chicken

I know fried chicken is not very *on brand*for a natural chef... but this is extra flavorful special FERMENTED HOT SAUCE BRINED FRIED CHICKEN🌶is too good not to share. And it’s the perfect way to use that leftover hot sauce brine if you were smart and made my fermented hot sauce. A nod to @bonappetit’s dill pickle brined fried chicken - 1 part hot sauce brine combined with 1 part water, brined chicken over night, dredged in buttermilk and organic flour and skillet fried! The chicken is jam packed with flavor and believe it or not is not spicy! If you’re gonna make fermented hot sauce you HAVE to try this recipe! Here’s what you need:

INGREDIENTS
8 chicken thighs and/or drums
2 cups leftover fermented hot sauce brine
2 cups filtered water
2 cups AP flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 Tsp kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk
Neutral high heat oil to dry, I used sunflower

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine fermented hot sauce brine and water. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate at least 3 hours, over night is best though!
2. Once brined, drain chicken from brine. Set aside.
3. Set up your chicken dredging station: add flour, corn starch and salt into a shallow bowl and mix to combine. Add buttermilk to a separate shallow bowl.
4. Dredge chicken in butter milk with you right hand and then in flour mixture with your left. Place on rimmed baking sheet. Once all chicken is dredged, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. While chicken is chilling, clear your space and set up your frying station. Prep a rimmed bake sheet with a drying rack. Using a cast iron or large skillet, bring 2” of oil to 350 degrees F.
6. Start frying chicken in batches, flipping every two minutes, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through to 160 degrees F, about 8 minutes. When done transfer to rack on baking sheet to drain.
7. Once all are fried, service immediately and enjoy with your fermented hot sauce and favorite fried chicken fixings!