In this post I am sharing the recipe for Sweet Tea Fried Chicken.
It’s no secret that a brine for poultry adds flavor and keeps the meat moist. Why not use the house wine of the South? Most brine recipes are a combination of salt and sweet.
A Sweet Tea Brine is perfect and makes for a delicious fried chicken.
I must admit that I don’t often fry a whole chicken, opting for the much easier boneless chicken breasts, such as in my Fried Herb Chicken Breasts. When I do though, it’s oh so good!
Bone in Southern style fried chicken is so flavorful and delicious. You’ll have to try this delicious fried chicken recipe.
If the sweet tea brine doesn’t seem to be your thing…no worries! You can easily make regular Southern fried chicken by brining in buttermilk instead (just skip the sweet tea brine) then follow the rest of the recipe.
Sweet Tea Fried Chicken
Brine:
3 Lipton Cold Brew family size tea bags
Sugar
Kosher Salt
1 sprig Fresh Thyme
Cracked Black Pepper
1 gallon Water
Sweet Tea Brine for Chicken
In a gallon size pitcher add 2 ” of hot water from the faucet. Add the sugar and kosher salt and stir until dissolved. Fill the pitcher the remainder to equal a gallon with cold water.
Next, add the tea bags, thyme, and pepper. Allow the brine mixture to steep 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and stir the brine mixture to ensure everything is combined.
The only bad fried chicken is bland fried chicken. Proper seasoning makes all the difference
Mama’s Fried Chicken Recipe
Chicken:
1 Whole Chicken Cut Up, 8 pieces
Add the cut up chicken pieces to a large bowl. Pour the brine over chicken then cover and refrigerate over night.
When ready to prepare the fried chicken, remove the chicken from brine and place on a paper towel lined sheet pan to drain excess liquid.
Use paper towels to dry moisture from the top of chicken. Discard the brine.
Crispy Fried Chicken
Flour Dredge Mixture:
Flour, all purpose
Salt
Black Pepper
Dried Thyme
Creole Seasoning
Onion Powder
Paprika
Combine the flour and all of the seasonings in a large mixing bowl and combine. Set aside until ready to use.
Wet Dredge Mixture:
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 c Buttermilk
3 tbs Water
2-3 dashes Hot Sauce, such as Texas Pete
In a bowl large mix egg, buttermilk, water and hot sauce together.
Now let’s put it all together. Take each piece of chicken and add to the flour mixture, coating well. Shake off excess flour mixture and add to the wet mixture. Return to the flour mixture and coat well.
Place each coated chicken piece on a baking rack and allow to come to sit 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
Soul Food Fried Chicken
Oil for Frying, I used vegetable oil, peanut would work fine.
Heat the cooking oil to prepare for frying in a dutch oven or large cast iron skillet. I love using my Lodge Cast Iron Deep Skillet for frying chicken.
When using cast iron you’ll want to keep the heat on medium as the cast iron holds the heat well. The oil temperature should be between 350 – 375 degrees.
When the oil is ready for frying start with the dark meat pieces adding one at a time, making sure to only add enough pieces as will fit leaving room without crowding the pan.
Turn the chicken every 3-5 minutes until golden brown and juices run clear.
It will take about 10-15 minutes for each batch of chicken depending on the size of the pieces.
When the chicken has cooked through, remove from oil and set upon a paper towel lines baking rack to remove excess oil and rest.
Country Fried Chicken
Keep cooking through all chicken pieces until the batch is complete.
Let the last batch rest 10 minutes before serving.
Sweet Tea Fried Chicken
You’ll be rewarded with moist, flavorful fried chicken with a crunchy crust.
“Golden brown and blissfully crisp, fried chicken has a longstanding relationship with cast iron.” – Taste of the South
Best Sweet Tea Fried Chicken
Yield: 8 Pieces
Sweet Tea Fried Chicken
Southern style fried chicken, brined in a sweet tea mixture then fried up to a crispy and delicious treat! This chicken is juicy and so flavorful.
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Additional Time
15 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
Sweet Tea Brine Mixture
- 3 Lipton Cold Brew family size tea bags
- 1 1/2 c Sugar
- 1/4 c Kosher Salt
- 1 sprig Fresh Thyme
- 1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 gallon Water
Chicken
- 1 Whole Chicken Cut Up, 8 pieces
Seasoned Flour Mixture
- 3 c Flour, all purpose
- 1 tbs Salt
- 1/2 tbs Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Creole Seasoning
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Paprika
Wet Mixture
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 1/2 c Buttermilk
- 3 tbs Water
- 2-3 dashes Hot Sauce, such as Texas Pete
Instructions
- Sweet Tea Brine
- Begin by adding about two inches of the hottest water from your tap to a gallon sized tea pitcher.
- Next, add the sugar and kosher salt and stir until dissolved.
- Next, fill the pitcher the remainder of the way with cold water and add the tea bags, thyme, and pepper.
- Allow to steep 20 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and stir the brine mixture to ensure everything is combined.
- Make sure the brine mixture is completely cool. Add ice if needed to cool.
- Brine the Chicken
- Place the chicken pieces into a large mixing bowl and cover with the sweet tea brine mixture.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Frying the Chicken
- Remove the chicken pieces from the brine and dry using paper towels and set on a baking sheet.
- Next, prepare the seasoned flour mixture by combining all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Next, in another mixing bowl prepare the wet mixture by whisking together all of the ingredients.
- Dredge each chicken piece by adding it to the seasoned flour mixture, cover, then shake off excess and then place into the wet mixture and finally back into the seasoned flour mixture to coat.
- Place the dredged chicken pieces back on the sheet pan and repeat until all pieces are dredged and ready for frying.
- Allow the dredged chicken pieces to sit for 20-30 minutes to come to room temperature for frying.
- Add cooking oil to a cast iron skillet and heat for frying. The oil temperature should be 350-375°F for frying.
- Start by frying the dark meat pieces since they take longer to cook. Add enough chicken pieces to the skillet without over crowding and cook in batches.
- Turn the chicken every 3-5 minutes until golden brown and juices run clear.
- It will take about 10-15 minutes for each batch of chicken depending on the size of the pieces.
- Removed the done chicken pieces from the oil and set upon a paper towel lined baking rack to remove excess oil.
- Let the fried chicken rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 510Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 344mgCarbohydrates: 75gFiber: 2gSugar: 38gProtein: 26g
Click Here to see it at Weekend Potluck
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See Julia’s Simply Southern mentioned in this article by author Pat Branning
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Author of Julia's Simply Southern
About Julia
Hey Y'all! I'm Julia, the cook and writer behind the recipes here at Julia's Simply Southern. I began my website so that I could share easy to follow recipes that anyone can use to put a home cooked meal on the dinner table. Thanks so much for stopping by!
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