Very simply, making this recipe at home will be tastier and healthier than any shop-bought fried chicken. Marinating the meat overnight in the seasoned buttermilk tenderises it, whilst the double dip in the cornflour builds a thick layer that will form a crispy coating, that will in turn absorb the delicious dressing. The dressing is simultaneously, spicy and acidic, but the flavours are clean and grown-up rather than muddled and synthetic tasting, as is invariably the case with anything that isn’t home-made. People don’t often deep fry at home but I would urge you to make an exception for this. You won’t regret it. The sauce keeps virtually indefinitely in the fridge, so make plenty and have up your sleeve. Kids love it, so consider this recipe valuable bribery currency!
Chicken marinade
400g Buttermilk
100g Whipping cream
1 tsp Fine sea salt
1kg Chicken thighs, boned and skinned, then cut into 2-3 pieces
Dressing
100g Olive oil
100g Vegetable oil
20g Garlic, peeled
20g White wine vinegar
1 tsp Fine sea salt
1 tsp Smoked paprika
¼ tsp Chilli powder
1/2 Lemon, juice and zest, grated
Frying
Vegetable oil
250g Corn flour
1 tsp Fine sea salt
1 tbsp Oregano, dried
- Mix the buttermilk, cream and salt together, then leave the chicken in this overnight.
- Blend all the ingredients for the dressing (together in a blender ensuring all the garlic has been pureed.
- Heat the oil in a large pan to 180C.
- Drain the chicken, keeping the buttermilk marinade.
- Mix together the corn flour and salt.
- Dip the wings in the seasoned corn flour, then dip back in the buttermilk and again into the cornflour, to get a thick layer of coating.
- Shake off the excess flour then fry in the hot oil for 5 mins.
- Drain well then place in a bowl and roll in the plenty of the sauce.
- Sprinkle generously with oregano and divide into serving bowls.