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
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
This chicken sounds absolutely incredible! Congrats on one year!
Alex says
Happy Anniversary! These sounds oh so good I'm practically drooling!
Jen of My Tiny Oven says
Oh lordy that chicken looks so amazing! It looks so crunchy, I need some in my life, like now! I hope you had a wonderful anniversary!!
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says
Sweet tea fried chicken sounds absolutely delicicous! I had some amazing fried chicken in Dallas last year (Sissy's) and still think about it now.
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
I love you. I will come over to your house any Sunday afternoon! Thanks for the lesson in fine southern living.
dishing up the dirt says
Happy Anniversary!!! I love that you guys did a road trip through the deep south for you honeymoon. That is AWESOME! Taylor would fall in love with me all over again if I cooked up this chicken recipe (he eats meat) I may just have to go for it in the name of love!
Barb | Creative Culinary says
All you've done is remind me that I haven't had fried chicken in a very long time and now I'm craving it bad. I know I do love it with honey so imagining that bit of sweetness in the brine can only mean good. YUM!
And Happy Anniversary; here's to a boring year (or at least not having to move again!).
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
Happy Anniversary! This Sweet Tea Chicken looks so darn good I want to get in the car and drive to that restaurant in Alabama. Or to your house :)
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Happy Anniversary! This sounds incredible! Love the sweet tea brine!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking says
OMG sweet tea and fried chicken! Throw in some biscuits and call me an honorary southerner! Love it! Happy one year!!!