Adobo-Fried Chicken
In the Phillippines, this chicken is simmered in an adobo broth of vinegar, bay leaves, sugar and soy sauce, for 15 minutes, which gives the meat a strong foundation before it is dunked in buttermilk, then breaded and fried. Make the dipping sauce and refrigerate before simmering the meat.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 fresh Thai bird or habanero chiles, thinly sliced
For the Broth:
- 2-½ cups distilled white vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4 bay leaves
- 1-½ tsp. black peppercorns
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. salt
- 5 bay leaves
For the Chicken:
- 2-pounds chicken pieces with skin, thighs and/or drumsticks, plus wings if desired; breats not recommended
- Salt, to taste
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- About 8 cups peanut oil
Instructions
To prepare the dipping sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients with ¾ cup water.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
To prepare the broth:
- In a large pot with a tight lid, combine all the ingredients with 1-½ cups water, or enough to barely cover chicken.
- Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer for 5 minutes; then turn heat down as low as it will go.
To marinate the chicken:
- Arrange chicken pieces on a work surface and season with salt.
- Add to broth; cover and poach for 15 minutes; turning once halfway through.
- Make sure liquid does not get hotter than a gentle simmer.
- Turn off heat and allow chicken to cool in the liquid about 20 minutes.
To prepare the chicken:
- Transfer chicken to a plate lined with paper towels; pat dry; discard broth.
- Pour buttermilk into a large shallow bowl.
- In a sealable plastic bag, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, the paprika and the pepper.
- Working a few pieces at a time, dip chicken in buttermilk; shake off any excess liquid; then drop into bag with flour mixture; seal bag and turn to coat pieces.
- Remove pieces from bag, shake off any excess flour and transfer to a large plate; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour oil into a large, deep cast-iron skillet fitted with a deep-frying thermometer until it comes just halfway up the sides.
- Heat oil to 365°F.
- Cook chicken pieces 3 or 4 at a time for 8 to 10 minutes; turning every minute or so, depending on how thick the pieces are; wings will cook faster and drumsticks will take longest.
- Be sure to keep oil temperature between 350°F and 365°F; the chicken is cooked when internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
- Using tongs, lift chicken out of oil and drain on paper towels.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes (chicken should still be hot, but not scorching).
- Season again with a little salt and transfer to a platter; serve hot, with the dipping sauce.
