I'm having a picnic today. Indoors at my kitchen counter, but I can pretend. And fried boneless chicken thighs are on the menu.
Let me just tell you, I got this DOWN.
They were perfect.
The chicken was tender and juicy. The crust was just the right thickness, full of nooks and crannies, and crisp as could be. The flavor had a tang from the buttermilk bath and a spiciness from the seasonings I'd thrown in. And it was all wrapped up with a sweet buttery sauce that balanced so very nicely with the spices.
Rosie's Fried Boneless Chicken Thighs With Special Sauce
8 boneless chicken thighs
Buttermilk, enough to cover thighs
Buttermilk Bath
Pour a little buttermilk to cover the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Place the thighs in the dish. Pour buttermilk over top and tong the thighs around during the bath. Let thighs soak for at least an hour.
"What does the buttermilk do," you ask? Or maybe you didn't, but I'm telling you anyway.
Well, the lactic acid in the milk breaks down the chicken's protein and muscle fibers, tenderizing the chicken, making it juicy, and giving a nice subtle tang to the flavor. And the thickness of the buttermilk promotes a more substantial crust. Dredging the buttermilk-soaked thighs through the flour/seasoning/breading mixture creates micro-clumps that adhere to the chicken and fry up a little bit thicker and deliciously crisp.
Breading Mix:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup corn starch
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground pepper
Mix all ingredients completely.
Heat peanut oil (about 1/2 inch) in large skillets over medium heat to 375°. I have 8 thighs, so I'm using 2 skillets. You don't want to crowd the pan when frying. Give the chicken some room
Pick thighs out of buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge through breading mixture, coating the thighs.
Gently lower thighs into hot oil, one at a time, 4 to each pan. The temperature of the oil when I put the chicken in was 375°, but this will decrease. Keep the heat at medium. Do not pick at and push the meat around. Place it in and leave it alone. After about 13 minutes, the first side was a lovely golden brown, so I turned the thighs over and cooked about another 10 minutes, or until golden brown. If you have a temperature probe (which I highly recommend), chicken meat is ready at an internal temperature of 165°. Remove thighs and drain on rack.
Sauce for fried thighs:
In a small saucepan, combine:
4 TB unsalted butter
2 heaping TB honey
1 heaping TB brown sugar
Handful of pecans
Stir over medium-low heat until bubbly, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, and pay attention. You want the color light brown. Keep stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Add in a handful of pecans. Remove from heat.
Be careful when you're cooking the sauce. If your heat's too high, you can caramelize that sugar real quick and then it's just a step away from being burned.
I started thinking about it and I could only think of one way this fried chicken could be any better.
And that's with a glass of champagne.
Bubbly with crisp chicken is how you take a picnic to the next level.
Pour some sauce over fried chicken and leave some in a bowl for dipping.
