Sweet tea works as a brine to make fried chicken extra juicy and flavorful.
Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin
To say that I lovefried chickenis an understatement.
If its on a menu at a restaurant, Ill probably order it.
Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin
because I wanted Southern fried chicken.
What Is Sweet Tea?
Its typically served cold.
Irvin Lin
Why Brine With Sweet Tea?
Dont be too concerned about the brine turning the chicken into meat candy, though!
It adds a subtle sweetness that works well with the salty skin.
Irvin Lin
I also add salt to the sweet tea brine, to help create an extra juicy fried chicken.
Salt is important as it denatures the protein of the meat.
Basically, this means the meat muscle unwinds and relaxes, allowing more water and liquid to penetrate.
Irvin Lin
More water means more juicy meat after cooking!
Whats the Best Tea To Use for a Brine?
The tea will have both sugar and salt added to it.
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They tend to be cheaper cuts with more flavor and are inherently juicier.
The brine will help keep the breast from drying out.
How Long To Brine With Sweet Tea?
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A buttermilk brine only needs an hour minimum to work, but sweet tea is a different situation.
The longer you brine the chicken, the sweeter and more tea flavor the chicken will have.
A 12-hour brine is optimal:It produces a noticeable sweetness and subtle tea flavor but nothing too strong.
Irvin Lin
But your taste may vary.
But you dont need that to make great fried chicken (though some would probably disagree).
I also only use a shallow amount of oil in the pan, about 1 1/2-inches deep.
Irvin Lin
This allows me to use less oil (which means less oil to dispose of).
More Great Southern Recipes to Try!
Gently squeeze the bags to extract as much flavor as possible and remove them.
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Stir in the sugar and salt until they have dissolved.
Leave uncovered for an hour or until it reaches room temperature.
Place a gallon freezer-style resealable bag in a large bowl and open it up.
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Refrigerate overnight (minimum 8 hours) or up to 24 hours.
Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
Combine the buttermilk and the hot sauce, if using, in a medium bowl.
Then coat the chicken in the flour mix, turning to coat completely.
Move to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Discard the brine when done.
Pour the oil into an 11-inch cast iron skillet, straight sided saute pan, or Dutch oven.
Heat the oil to 375F.
If you dont have a thermometer, drop a 1-inch cube of bread into the oil.
The bread should brown in about 60 seconds.
If it browns too fast, the oil is too hot.
If the bread takes longer than a minute to brown, it isnt hot enough.
(Do not drop the chicken pieces in the oil; it will splatter and possibly burn you.)
Flip the chicken with the tongs and cook the other side for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
Move the legs to the baking sheet with the wire rack.
Repeat the process with the chicken thighs, this time frying each side 5 to 6 minutes.
Move the thighs to the baking sheet along with the legs.
Move the entire sheet with chicken into the oven.
If you dont have a thermometer, pierce the thigh with a sharp knife.
The liquid that comes out should run clear and not look red.
Move to a serving platter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
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