Ingredients
Scale
For the Buttermilk Marinade:
- 1 (3.5-lb) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- Zest and juice of 2 limes
- 2 Thai chiles, halved
- ¼ cup fresh lemongrass, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and left whole
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Flour Coating:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For Frying/Serving:
- Peanut oil, for frying
- Limes, quartered
- Additional fresh cilantro, chopped
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Spicy coconut dipping sauce (below)
For the Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 1 garlic clove, smashed and left whole
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 (15-oz) can coconut milk
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 3 teaspoons fish sauce
- 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce (or to taste)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Buttermilk Marinade:
- In a large baking dish, stir together the buttermilk, hot sauce, lime zest/juice, chiles, lemongrass, garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, and cilantro. Season the chicken parts liberally with salt and pepper and then add to the baking dish. Toss to evenly coat in the buttermilk mixture.
- Refrigerate and marinate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
For the Flour Coating:
- Whisk together all the ingredients in another baking dish. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off, and dredge evenly in the flour coating. Place the breaded chicken pieces on a plate.
- Once all the pieces have been coated, place the plate of chicken in the fridge while you heat up your oil for frying.
For Frying/Serving:
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 3-4 inches of peanut oil to 350°F. Add half the chicken to the pot and cook for 8-12 minutes (possibly longer depending how large your chicken pieces are), occasionally flipping the chicken over. The oil temperature will initially drop to around 300°F after you add the chicken. Allow it to return to 310-315°F for the remainder of the cooking time. Cook until the breading is deeply browned and crispy.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Garnish the fried chicken with lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.
For the Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic clove and cook for a minute or two or until it is fragrant.
- Add in the brown sugar and stir until mostly dissolved. Add the coconut milk and stir until well combined.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and then cook for a few minutes or until it begins to reduce and thicken slightly.
- Whisk in the lime zest/juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, and hot sauce (all to taste). Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Cool the sauce slightly before serving alongside the chicken.