Jerk Fried Chicken

The South meets Jamaica with this Southern fried jerk chicken. Extra crispy fried chicken is brined in a jerk-buttermilk marinade, deep fried and topped with dry jerk seasoning mix.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 chicken thighs (skin on/bone in)
• 2 chicken legs
• 2 cups low fat buttermilk
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp jerk marinade (Walkerswood or Grace commercial brands are great)
• 4 tbsp vodka
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1 tbsp dry jerk spice
• 4 tbsp reserved wet marinade
• Peanut Oil
• 1/2 tbsp dry jerk seasoning
• 2 tbsp hot peanut oil used in cooking

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- FOR THE MARINADE ---
2. 2In a mixing bowl combine the buttermilk, salt, jerk marinade, and vodka and mix well. Add chicken to a bowl or ziplock bag and cover with marinade. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
3. 3Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let cool to room temperature on a wire wrack. Reserve the marinade for use in the coating.
4. 4--- FOR THE COATING ---
5. 5Add the flour, starch, and spices to a baking dish (or a brown paper bag) and mix well. Add 4 tbsps of the reserved marinade. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade 1 piece at a time and coat well in the seasoned flour, pushing the crumbly bits of flour into the chicken. Shake off excess and reserve on a baking sheet. Time permitting place chicken on wire rack and let sit uncovered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
6. 6--- FOR FRYING ---
7. 7When all the chicken is dredged in the flour, add about an inch of oil to a heavy frying pan or cast iron skillet. Over medium-high flame, heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Test by dropping a small piece of the coating from the chicken into the oil. The coating will bubble and begin to fry. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until the outside is browned and the meat is cooked through.
8. 8Remove the chicken from the frying pan and place on wire rack. Time permitting let the chicken rest 30 minutes or more. Then fry again at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes
9. 9As chicken rests, collect hot oil from the pan/fryer and pour into a small bowl. Add the jerk spice and mix well. Spoon or brush the hot mixture over the chicken. I'm generous with the seasoning. Finish off the dish by sprinkling leftover jerk spice onto the hot chicken. Enjoy
10. 10--- RECIPE NOTES ---
11. 11Season generously and at each step
12. 12Marinate or brine the chicken overnight for max juiciness
13. 13Add a little bit of liquid to your dry coating mix for Popeye's level crunchiness
14. 14I used jerk flavors but feel free to use your seasoning of choice but try and stay true to the technique.
15. 15Use a high smoke point oil like peanut or canola oil.
16. 16After you coat the chicken with flour let it rest on a rack for 20-30 minutes to form a crust before you fry it.
17. 17Allow chicken to warm to room temperature before frying which will help it to cook through.
18. 18Add a starch - potato, corn, or tapioca to get more crispiness.
19. 19Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack set over a foiled lined baking sheet.They'll cool, crisp, and dry off all at once.