This recipe is perfect for celebrating National Hot Chicken Day or any day you crave some spicy and crispy fried chicken. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk and seasoned with salt and pepper, then coated in a flour and cornstarch mixture and fried until golden and crisp. The secret to the heat is the butter sauce that is brushed over the chicken, made with cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika and garlic powder. You can adjust the spiciness to your liking by adding more or less cayenne pepper OR using a hot sauce to coat. Serve the hot chicken on buns or bread with your choice of farm fresh ingredients such as lettuce, microgreens, cheese, condiments, etc. Enjoy this delicious and fiery dish with some cold drinks and napkins!

The serving size for the recipe is 4 people. The prep time is about 15 minutes, plus at least an hour for marinating the chicken. The cook time is about 20 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken slices. The total time is about 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

Chicken

 > breasts [4] - High Point Meat Shop - Plain Chicken Breast 1 lb

 > wings [1 lb] - High Point Meat Shop - Plain Chicken Wings 3 lb

 > thighs [4] - High Point Meat Shop - Plain Boneless Chicken Thigh 1 lb

 > whole chicken [1] - Campbell Valley Farms - Fresh Certified Organic Whole Chicken Approx 3 lb

1/4 cup of Buttermilk

2 teaspoons of Salt - All of Oils - Black Truffle Infused Sea Salt 65 Grams

1 teaspoon of Black Pepper - Chef Laura - Gourmet 12 Spice Collection Tin Box

1/4 cup of All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup of Cornstarch

Oil for Frying

1/4 cup of Butter 

2 tablespoons of Cayenne Pepper

2 tablespoons of Brown Sugar OR honey - BC Buzz Honey - Cream Clover 500 Grams

1 teaspoon of Paprika - Chef Laura - Gourmet 12 Spice Collection Tin Box

1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Powder

Optional

 > Lettuce - Northern Greens - Gourmet Variety Living Lettuce 2 Heads

 > Microgreens - Hunters' Dale - Spicy Mix Microgreens 50 Grams

 > Cheese - Goat's Pride Dairy - Mt Lehman Cheese Peppercorn Tomme 150 Grams

 > Pickled veggies - West Coast Wild Foods - Hot Pickled Fiddleheads 250 ml

Condiments such as

 > Spicy Preserves - Skyland Acres - Spicy Cowboy Candy Preserves 250ml

 > am or jelly - The BOG Riverside Cranberry Farm - Hot Cranberry Pepper Jelly 325 ml

 > Hot sauce - Ravens Brewing & Distilling - Pineapple Mango Hot Sauce 240 Grams

Directions:

Cut the chicken breasts into thin slices or add thighs or wings or a whole chicken and place them in a large ziplock bag. Add the buttermilk, salt and pepper and seal the bag. Massage the chicken to coat with the buttermilk mixture and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour and cornstarch. Heat about an inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F.

Working in batches, take the chicken out of the bag and shake off any excess buttermilk. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil and fry for about 3 minutes per side or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the cayenne pepper, brown sugar or honey, paprika and garlic powder. Simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.

Brush the spicy butter sauce over both sides of the fried chicken. Or utilize a spicy hot sauce for a more in depth flavour. Serve on buns or bread with your choice of farm fresh ingredients. Enjoy!

There are many ways to make this recipe unique and different. Here are some possible suggestions:

• You can use different cuts of chicken, such as thighs, drumsticks or wings, instead of breasts. You may need to adjust the frying time accordingly.
• You can add some other spices to the butter sauce, such as chili powder, cumin, oregano or thyme, for more flavor and complexity.
• You can use different types of bread or buns for serving, such as sourdough, rye, pretzel or Hawaiian rolls. You can also toast them lightly for extra crunch.
• You can add some cheese to the sandwich, such as cheddar, Monterey jack or blue cheese, for some creaminess and contrast.
• You can make a slaw with shredded cabbage, carrots and mayonnaise and add some vinegar, sugar and celery seeds for some tanginess and crunch. You can serve it on the side or on top of the chicken.