Sweet tea fried chicken for two!
I adore the month of February. I love to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The few days in February that remind us of impending Springtime are joyous. I’m a nut for Mardi Gras. But most of all, I love February because it’s my wedding anniversary. That’ll be one year, folks. Wow. It’s gone fast. As a couple who’s moved twice in 2 years, started 4 new jobs, and bought 2 houses, we haven’t had the most ordinary first year of marriage. We didn’t have a run-of-the-mill honeymoon, either. We got married in my hometown outside of Dallas, and then we drove all across the South. We stopped in New Orleans, Birmingham, Savannah, and Charleston. Even though Birmingham, Alabama was only our second stop, we were positive we ate the best fried chicken we will ever eat in our life.
The name of the place is Saw’s Soul Kitchen. It was packed on a Friday afternoon with college professors, students, and locals enjoying down on grilled pimento cheese and fried chicken. To be exact: sweet tea fried chicken. My husband took one bite, rolled his eyes back in his head, and declared it to be the best ever.
As people who have had the great pleasure of eating heaps of fried chicken in our lives, this was no small thing. It had a perfectly crisp crust that oozed sweet juice at each bite. We took breaks between bites only to moan. I found the place through a Southern Living recommendation, which incidentally proved to be the only reliable source for restaurant recs on the whole trip.
Sweet tea fried chicken method:
This is my attempt to recreate the most perfect fried chicken. I brined the chicken for a full 2 days. I recommend putting the bird in the buttermilk and sweet tea mixture on Friday night. Then, fry it up on Sunday after Church.
I’m no stranger to frying food. I love to fry. I love that it ties you to the stove and simultaneously draws everyone else around you. I believe frying skills to be a gift, one that can be learned but is best when it’s innate---much like athleticism. That said, this chicken is oven-fried. That does not mean it’s healthy or baked instead of fried. It is fried whilst in the oven. Many soul food joints swear by this technique to develop crispy crusts and moist meat. Needless to say, they are right.
The technique is simple: the butter and oil melt in the skillet in a hot oven. The chicken is battered twice, and then placed in the already hot skillet. After 20 minutes, flip the bird. After the first turn, the chicken won't appear to be dark enough, but it will darken further as the other side fries (check out the photo below).
I used Moonshine sweet tea concentrate for my marinade, but if you can’t find it, just boil down 1.5 cups until you get ½ cup of sweet tea concentrate.
For fried chicken that serves two, we generally use one chicken breast, with the tenderloin attached, that is chopped in half through the bone, plus 2-3 drumsticks. Use any combination of light and dark meat you like.
Sweet Tea Oven-Fried Chicken
Sweet tea fried chicken for two!
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, chopped in half through the bone
- 2-3 skin-on chicken drumsticks
- 1 cup buttermilk (use the real stuff)
- ½ cup sweet tea concentrate
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons oil (peanut, canola, or vegetable)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the chicken pieces. In a small glass, whisk together the buttermilk, sweet tea concentrate and 1 tablespoon of salt. Stir well to dissolve the salt. Pour this mixture over the chicken, cover, and marinate 48 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425.
- When the oven is at 425, place the cast iron skillet on the center rack and let it heat for 10 minutes. Add the butter and oil. It should melt almost immediately and begin to sizzle. Place the pan back in the oven while you do the next step.
- Next, bread your chicken. Remove the pieces from the marinade, but reserve the marinade. Add the wet pieces of chicken to the flour mixture and use your hands to toss to coat each with flour. Then, repeat the process: back in the buttermilk-sweet tea marinade again and then flour to coat. You just double-battered your chicken.
- Next, carefully arrange the chicken pieces in the pan with the sizzling oil and butter. The chicken should immediately start sizzling and cooking. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Flip the chicken, then bake for another 14-18 minutes. Test the chicken with a thermometer--it should read 165 in the thickest part of the meat and the juices should run clear.
- Immediately remove the chicken from the skillet and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1531Total Fat: 78gSaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 10168mgCarbohydrates: 178gSugar: 31gProtein: 28g
Debbie shulkin says
I made the sweet-tea fried chicken and it looks just like the photos on the blog. My husband and I found it a bit sweet for our tastes. And I am a sugar addict! I would probably use only 1/4c. tea concentrate and many dashes of hot sauce to the marinade as a counterpoint to the sweetness. I am a native Dallasite and have eaten my fair share of fried chicken, the best being my grandmothers's of course. But she put a cut up yellow onion in the oil and it added an undefinable touch that made her fried chicken perfection.
Debbie shulkin says
P.S. I bought Luzianne Sweet Tea concentrate in a 2 oz. foil packet on the tea/coffee isle at Walmart Supercenter in Plano,TX. for 98 cents. And though it was sweet, we did enjoy the chicken and the ease of oven frying. I also made the blueberry cobbler which was a major hit with my husband. Thank you.
nosh says
Hi there ! J7stvtried the recipe its amazing ! Thank u. Just one question ...my oven roof ..floor everythings full of oily butter drops not coming off..how do u guys clean the oven after making this? Plz i want to make it again hut not gave an oven to scrub hard...anytips?
Christina Lane says
Hi there! My cast iron skillet didn't over flow, but if yours did, maybe put a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven before baking? or, place the cast iron skillet on a baking sheet pan? Best of luck! sorry, I know how much of a pain it is to clean an oven :/
Dennis says
For buttermilk, you say, "use the real thing." Does this mean you churn your own butter, too or, are you saying to use supermarket buttermilk rather than a mixture of milk and lemon juice? Been a long time since I churned butter. Looking forward to trying this great recipe!
Christina Lane says
Store-bought.
Cassie says
I agree. I do not like recipes that say "use the real thing" when most people are on a strict budget. In this case, it will make no difference whatsoever if you buy buttermilk or make your own with regular milk and vinegar. I always choose to make my own.... and the results are terrific.
Penny says
Tried this last night - served it up to my sister and her family. Tasted delicious BUT didn't look as nice as yours did. And took maybe third - twice longer to cook (so I was panicking a little, and the vegetables were overcooked!). But certainly won't give up - it even got a compliment from my notoriously hard-to-please b-in-law! And I have two pieces of uncooked in the fridge as my pan wasn't large enough, so I'm sure Second Attempt will be more pretty! Many thanks for sharing the recipe. (Trying to give it 5 stars but can't get my smartphone to accept it. But it's a definite 5 star)
Christina Lane says
Yay, Penny! I bet it's because I cook with gas. My pans are screamin' hot! Thanks for writing :)
Christina
LL says
Can this be made with grapeseed oil?
Christina Lane says
Sure, just double check the smoke point of your oil before frying.
LL says
I have never fried before, so I'm not quite sure what that means! =( I know that grapeseed oil is said to have a high smoke point, like olive oil.
Mia says
I am literally the worst at frying things. I usually leave that up to my husband, even though I do like 95% of the rest of our cooking. I am totally game to try this soon. I'm on a mission to connect with our families' southern roots and soul food heritage - and maybe oven fried is the strategy I need. Thanks!
linda philley says
what does the tea do
Christina Lane says
Marinates and tenderizes :)
Shelby says
Do you know/think the oven temp or duration should change at all if I use a copper pan or glass dish instead? xo
Christina Lane says
I'm not sure, Shelby. Just keep an eye on it and lower the heat if it threatens to burn. Copper is a great conductor of heat, just like cast iron.
Jackie says
I was wondering I don't like tea (any kind) does the flavor of tea come thru
Thanks
Christina Lane says
Not so much..it's just a tenderizer.
Martha says
OMG, heaven on a plate! And its easy to make, too. Thanks, Christina!