Buttermilk fried chicken

Step 1

Cut the chicken marylands through the joint to separate the drumsticks and the thighs. Wash the chicken pieces, then dry well with paper towel. Toss the chicken in the buttermilk, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 200C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Step 3

Place the flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground cumin and 1 teaspoon salt in a zip-lock bag or plastic bag. Add the drained chicken, 2 pieces at a time, shaking well to coat in the spice mixture. Remove and shake off any excess, then repeat with remaining chicken pieces until they are all coated.

Step 4

Heat 1cm oil in a large heavy-based frypan over medium-high heat to 180C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when the oil is hot enough).

Step 5

Cook the chicken pieces, in batches of 4, for 4-5 minutes until well-browned.

Step 6

Turn and cook on the other side for 1 minute until golden, then transfer the chicken to the lined baking tray.

Step 7

Bake the chicken in the oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through, then remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve the chicken pieces at room temperature.