If you’ve ever been to Adhoc’s Addendum in Yountville / Napa Valley, California, you know their fried chicken is OFF THE HOOK. If you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity, I’m here to share the gluten free / paleo version so you can experience the best damn fried chicken of your life.
Because this recipe is a labor of love, we generally make this once or twice a year and usually around Easter and some time in the Fall. With shelter in place, we didn’t get the opportunity to enjoy this chicken with our extended family, but it was a beautiful day outside, so we made the most of it with our roommates downstairs.
This fried chicken is:
- Super moist and tender from the brining technique (so don’t skip this step)
- Crunchy from the flash frying then finished off cooking in the oven
- Packed with flavor from all those spices and herbs
- Pairs well with my ham and cheese or cassava flour waffles
- Makes you feel all happy inside after the first bite
I hope you enjoy this recipe my friends! If you end up making this recipe, please tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #fullasamother.
Happy cooking!
Fried Chicken 2.0
Equipment
- Fried Chicken 2.0
Ingredients
- For the chicken
- 12-14 drumsticks and/or thighs
- For the Brine
- 8-10 cups water
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 24 oz jar of pickle juice reserve the pickles for your appetizer board!
- 6 dried bay leaves
- 6 large garlic cloves skin left on, smashed
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 large rosemary sprigs optional
- 1 large bunch thyme sprigs optional
- 1 large bunch flat leaf parsley sprigs optional
- For the Coating
- 1 ½ cups Cassava flour
- 1 ½ cups 4505 chicharrones grounded into a course meal (use blender or food processor)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For Frying and Serving
- 1 quart buttermilk coconut buttermilk or almond buttermilk can be substituted
- 5 cups avocado oil
- Kosher salt
- Rosemary and thyme sprigs and sliced lemon for garnishing
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, add all the brine ingredients and simmer on medium low for 5 minutes, then allow the brine to cool completely.
- Using an extra large bowl, add the chicken and pour the brine into the bowl, ensuring all pieces of the chicken are saturated in the brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
- When you’re ready to cook the chicken, discard the brine and rinse the chicken in water. Be sure to remove all the brine ingredients from the chicken, and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on each sheet pan.
- Using a large dutch oven or large cast iron skillet, add avocado oil over medium high heat. Bring the oil temperature up to 330F degrees or add a pinch of flour to the pan/pot and if it starts to sizzle immediately, the oil is ready.
- In one large bowl, add all the dry ingredients for the coating, and whisk to combine.
- In another large bowl, add the buttermilk
- Just before frying, dip each piece of chicken into the coating, patting off the excess, then into the buttermilk and back into the coating. Place the chicken on a parchment lined sheet tray.
- When the oil has reached the proper temperature, carefully lower the pieces of chicken into the oil. The temperature of the oil will decrease. Adjust the heat as necessary to bring the oil to proper temperature. Fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove the chicken, and place it on a top of the cooling rack that’s placed on top of a large sheet pan. Allow the oil to come back to the proper temperature and repeat this process for the remaining chicken.
- After all the chicken has been fried, ensure the chicken is evenly distributed on the sheet pan and place both pans in the oven and cook for 35-45 minutes, or until juices from the chicken run clear.
- Remove chicken from the oven, season with sea salt and serve immediately. Garnish with lemon, rosemary and thyme sprigs.