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
BurgerMary says
Moonshine sweet tea is absolutely delicious! I definitely think folks should try to get your hands on it if they can!
Rachel says
Oh, this looks fantastic and thanks for the recipe. I love fried chicken, but I don't really have any of my own recipes for it.
BruCrew Life says
Happy anniversary girl!! :) What a busy first year it's been for you! Whew!! ;) This chicken sounds like perfection!! I must try it out soon!
Linda says
❤That fried chicken looks amazing... Gonna make this soon! Happy FIRST Anniversary!!!
Paula says
Hope you two lovebirds had a wonderful anniversary! My husband took me to Whole Foods and to Fresh Market looking for the Moonshine Sweet Tea Concentrate. We couldn't find it anywhere!! So, I tried to make my own and we shall see how it goes! I have chicken "brine swimming" in my Fridge right now! It will be on our supper table this evening. Can't wait - hope it turns out as good as your's!!
Paula says
Christina!! It was incredibly delicious!! Will definitely make it again!!
Christina says
Thanks so much, Paula! I'm so glad you liked it :)
inez says
We don't have any sweet tea concentrate here in Australia and you said to boil down 1-1/2 cups of ?????
Do you mean honey? Can you please let me know what I could substitute for sweet tea concentrate.
Christina Lane says
The brand of sweet tea concentrate that I used is called Moonshine. Check their site for details on where to buy. People have told me they ordered it on Amazon.
I leave the sugar in the sweet tea ratio up to the reader. I feel like however you like your sweet tea is how you'll like your sweet tea fried chicken. If it were me, I would put 3 tablespoons of sugar into 1 1/2 cup of tea before boiling it down. Taste your sweet tea before boiling it down to make sure it's to your liking. Then boil away. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sweet tea concentrate, so boil it down until you have 1/2 cup.
Tammi says
This chicken was amazing!
Sara says
Made this tonight and it was INCREDIBLE! We don't drink really sweet tea so I used an Honest Tea Assam Black Tea and boiled it down. I did add a couple of my favorite spices to the flour mix, but otherwise, followed the recipe to the letter. The chicken was really juicy, too boot. I've always been leery of frying chicken before, but never again. Thanks so much!
Karin Young says
Christina, We made the chicken last night and it was wonderful... moist inside with crispy skin outside... just like you said. What a southern fried chicken recipe!
We served mashed potatoes with gravy and sweet corn-on-the-cob with it and we were in 'Texas Heaven' - LOL!
Karin