Growers champagne and fried chicken! Our host, Stephanie Burt from The Southern Fork podcast, sat down with Charleston Grill’s Executive Chef Michelle Weaver to talk all about growers champagne and fried chicken. She even gave us her famous fried chicken recipe listed below!
Fried Chicken Recipe
Feeds 4-6 people
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups buttermilk
3 lbs. chicken thighs
Shortening
BRINE:
12 cup kosher salt
2 quarts cold water
FLOUR DREDGE:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 cup cornstarch
14 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Add salt to cold water and stir until dissolved. Place chicken in freezer bag and add brine. Refrigerate for 8 hours. Remove from brine and rinse. Cover in buttermilk and refrigerate for 4 hours. Remove chicken from buttermilk.
Sift flour mixture into shallow container. Dredge each thigh in flour and place on a rack resting on a sheet pan. Allow 30 minutes for mixture to set. This will keep crust from falling off.
In a high-sided cast iron skillet, or a Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of shortening to 325 degrees. Fry thighs in batches and turn often. Chicken should take about 15 minutes. Chicken will be brown and juices will run clear. Place on a clear resting rack and sprinkle with salt. Let cool for a couple of minutes and then enjoy! Also great cold the next day (Michelle’s favorite way to enjoy).