Bourbon Brined Fried Chicken

Looking for a modern take on classic southern fried chicken? We have you covered with our Bourbon Brined Fried Chicken recipe. The addition of bourbon to the brine brings out the cayenne and paprika in the coating, making the chicken crispier and more flavorful. 

The hardest part of this recipe is being patient, but trust us, it’s worth the wait. Ideally, the chicken should be brined overnight, or for a minimum of four hours. Once brined, grab your Oval Dutch Oven and get frying! This versatile piece of cookware offers superior heat retention and a significant frying area, making it perfect for this recipe. 

Be sure to make enough for leftovers as once your guests have their hands on it, they will be wanting seconds of this Bourbon Fried Chicken recipe. This recipe can be prepared in one hour, excluding the brine time, of course, serving between four and six portions. Here are all the ingredients you’ll need and the steps to follow for this southern classic.

Break chicken down into 10 pieces by removing thighs, drumsticks, whole wings, and bone-in breasts; cut each of the two breasts in half

Stir salt, honey and cinnamon stick into the steaming hot water until the salt dissolves. Add the ice water and bourbon and allow to cool completely. Put chicken pieces into a zip-top gallon freezer bag and pour the brine over the chicken. Seal the bag, set in a large bowl, and chill at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, cornstarch, salt and spices. Set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce, then set aside. Remove chicken pieces from the brine and pat dry. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Dip in buttermilk mixture and allow excess to drip off. Finally, dredge completely in the flour again, and set on a rack over a sheet pan. Repeat with remaining pieces and let stand while the oil heats.

Preheat oven to 250 F. Add oil to a Round French Oven and heat to a temperature of 350 F.

Carefully add 5 pieces of chicken to the oil and hold temperature around 320 F while frying, gently turning chicken once. Fry for 12 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165 F in the thickest piece. Remove chicken to a rack set over a sheet tray, and hold in the oven while the next batch cooks. If the chicken begins to burn on the outside before it cooks through, it can finish cooking in the oven; check temperature before serving. Repeat frying process with remaining pieces, and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.