I’ve come to the realization lately that my farm share may be taking over not only my fridge, but also a large portion of my life. As one friend put it, “the pressure to consume” all of the wonderful veggies can be a bit overwhelming, and I did find, as I looked back through the latest Besotted posts that they almost exclusively dealt with vegetables – noble and lovely as they are, I started to feel that there was something a bit lacking.

I spent a couple of quiet hours on Sunday pouring through my cooking magazines and books and came up with a lot of happy inspiration for delicious (and omnivorous!) meals. And, to get the ball rolling, I decided to start-out with one of my favorite carnivorous meals – Fried Chicken.

I know that I already have a Fried Chicken recipe up from the Winter, but this one, much more delicately seasoned and paired with Honey & Pepper Biscuits and fresh Green Beans seemed so much more in keeping with a light and bright summer mood.

This recipe also beats out the Winter version in its diminished complexity – owing to the amount of salt that the Winter version marinates in (which does give it tremendous flavor), it can not be left unattended for very long, and certainly not overnight. Whereas, this summery version can be marinated overnight, or for as little as 6 hours, depending on your schedule, making it far easier to plan and prepare for friends.

Below you’ll find the Summer Fried Chicken recipe, and, in the posts that follow, I’ll include the recipe for the Honey & Pepper Biscuits, as well as 2 Fresh Green Bean recipes – Green Beans with Fried Shallots and Green Beans with Onion Mustard Vinaigrette (one of my new favorites!).

Summer still seems to be clinging on here in New England, with a vigorous heat wave, and what a better way to celebrate the warm weather and sunshine than with a big plate of homemade fried chicken. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Summer Fried Chicken, Serves 4-6

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Prep Time: 90 Minutes

Marinating, Drying & Frying Time: 7 Hours 45 Minutes

Total Prep Time:  9-9.5 Hours

Ingredients:

3 Cups Buttermilk

1 Tbls. Kosher Salt

1 Tsp. Hot Pepper Sauce

3-4lbs. Chicken Pieces (thighs, legs, and wings are best)

2 Cups Flour

2 Tsp. Garlic Powder

2 Tsp. Onion Powder

2 Tsp. Paprika

1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper

8-10 Cups Peanut Oil for frying

Preparation:

Mix together 2 cups of the buttermilk, salt, and hot pepper sauce in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, pushing down to submerge and cover thoroughly. Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Before removing the chicken from the refrigerator, prepare your battering station. Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne in a medium sized bowl and mix well. Pour half of the flour mixture into another medium sized bowl. Between the two flour bowls, add a third bowl filled with the remaining cup of buttermilk.

[Click here for a few tips on battering chicken]

Dredge the chicken pieces in the first bowl of flour and shake off any excess. Submerge the chicken piece in the buttermilk, coat thoroughly, and allow to drip dry. Lastly, dredge the chicken piece in the second flour bowl and, again, shake off any excess. Lay on a drying rack and repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.

Place the drying rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.

When you’re ready to begin frying, pour the peanut oil to a depth of 1.5-2 inches into a large stock pot and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 300°. Drop the battered and dried chicken pieces into the pot, skin-side down, two at a time, and cook for 12-14 minutes (6-7 minutes each side).

Remove to a plate covered in paper towels, and repeat until all of the chicken pieces are cooked. Sprinkle with a little sea salt, grab a mountain of paper napkins, serve, and enjoy!