The Best Fried Chicken at Home

Lay the chicken breast side up. Using a sharp paring knife, slice through the skin that attaches the legs to the breasts. Flip the chicken over. Bend the legs back towards the back until you hear it pop and dislocate. This separates the thigh bone from the back of the chicken. Follow the fat line with your knife to cut through the meat and joint that you just revealed to remove the leg quarters from the chicken (see notes). Bend the leg quarter to separate the joint that connects the thigh to the drumstick. Follow the fat line to slice through the meat and joint to separate the drumstick from the thigh.

Lay the chicken breast side down. Grab the wing to produce tension where it attaches to the back. Slice through the skin that attaches here. Bend the wings back away from the back until you hear it pop and dislocate. This separates the wing bone from the back of the chicken. Follow the fat line with your knife to cut through the meat and joint that you just revealed to remove the wings from the chicken.

Use a cleaver to cut off the backbone so that it is easier to cut off the breast meat. Feel for the breast bone that separates the breasts from each other. Then, using a small paring knife, carve alongside the breastbone until you reach the bottom of the breast plate. Place your cleaver in this cavity and press through the bone to release your bone-in breast. Repeat with the other side. Reserve the carcass to make stock if desired.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, salt, sugar, MSG, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. Add in your chicken so it’s fully submerged in the marinade, ensuring the marinade gets underneath the chicken skin of each piece as well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight and up to 2 days total. If you don't have time, you can skip the marinating process altogether but the flavor will be significantly better with the full marinade time.

In a large 7-quart heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add your oil and heat over medium to 350°F (177°C). You will need to cook this chicken in 2-3 batches, if you wish to cook it in less batches, or possibly all at once, I would recommend using two large 7-quart Dutch ovens and adding 3.5 quarts of oil in EACH Dutch oven.

Prepare your dredge in a large mixing bowl by whisking together the flour, potato starch or cornstarch, salt, MSG, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and oregano.

Remove your chicken from your marinade onto a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain slightly. Add ⅓ cup of your flour mixture to your marinade and whisk until thoroughly combined. Dip your fingers into the thickened marinade and flick small flecks of the liquid into your dry dredge then agitate. Whisk to combine. Repeat 2 more times until you have tiny little flecks in your dry dredge. Dunk each piece of chicken one at a time into the thickened marinade and then into the dry dredge, gently pressing to adhere the breading to the chicken. Be sure to bread under the skin as well ensuring there are no bald spots on the chicken at all. Repeat with all your pieces of chicken, setting them to the side on a baking sheet as they are completed.

Fry your chicken in batches, making sure the pot isn’t overcrowded or boiling over with oil. Deep fry for 10-15 minutes for smaller pieces, 15-20 minutes for larger pieces, doing your best to maintain the temperature around 325-350°F (163-177°C). Once the chicken is a deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F (74°C), remove the chicken and drain over a wire rack set on a baking sheet or plates with paper towels.

Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Serve and enjoy!