The best part of fried chicken is always the buttermilk brine that you soak it in for the first 24 hours. Soaking the chicken in the buttermilk not only gives it that juiciness, but also awesome flavor. I used the Citrus Fennel Fleur de Sel and it turned out AWESOME! Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 quart buttermilk
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon Citrus Fennel Fleur de Sel seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
5-6 (small) organic chicken legs (whole)
Olive Oil
Rock salt, paprika and freshly ground nutmeg to top the chicken before roasting.
DIRECTIONS:
Mix buttermilk with garlic, sea salt, paprika, sugar, nutmeg, Citrus Fennel Fleur de Sel and ground black pepper in a mixing bowl.
Place chicken into lidded Pyrex dish (or a large Zip Lock bag) and pour buttermilk brine to cover the chicken legs. Move the legs around so they are evenly covered. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (ideally a 24 hour brine is recommended.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove chicken from the brine and place on a roasting pan (or a foil covered baking dish.)
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, nutmeg and rock salt.
Roast for 35-40 minutes until skin is browned and crispy. (I like to turn the broiler on for about 3 minutes at the end to get a nice crunch on the skin.)
Serve immediately.
Recommended side dishes: Roasted Sweet Potatoes; Green Salad.