Bourbon-Brined Fried Chicken

Brine

• 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) whole chicken
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cups steaming hot water
• 2 cups ice water
• 2/3 cup bourbon

For frying

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
• Dash of hot sauce
• 9 cups peanut oil

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 6 1/2 qt. deep Dutch 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.