Here's A Not-So-Classic Fried Chicken Recipe (If You're Tired of Plain 'Ol Chicken)

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to fried chicken. Stylist Anton Miranda's take, for one, is an homage to things he loves: his grandmother's recipe from his childhood and classic Southern-style with buttermilk.

"My first encounter with homemade fried chicken would probably have to be my grandmother's," Miranda says. "I also ate a lot of fast food growing up and those fast-food restaurants introduced the concept of American-style fried chicken to me at an early age. It wasn't long before I figured I should probably have my own take on the perfect fried chicken."

"So, after several redos, I finally came up with a recipe that combined elements of both. You have the whole garlic cloves, shallots, and the brine, which pay homage to my grandmother's fried chicken. And then you see elements of southern-style fried chicken with the buttermilk, and the hot smoked paprika, the garlic powder, the onion powder, and cayenne pepper in the dredge.

Check out his recipe for his own, not-so-classic fried chicken below.

RECIPE

• 1 whole chicken
• Vegetable oil and/or lard
• Applewood smoked bacon
• 960 g. water
• 70 g. kosher salt
• 15 g. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• One head of garlic
• 3 to 4 shallots
• 500 g. buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 290 g. all-purpose flour
• 60 g. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

METHOD

1| Make the brine: Combine water, salt, sugar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix until salt and sugar are dissolved, and add shallots and garlic cloves.

2| Cut the chicken into eight pieces and let it soak in the brine in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours up to overnight.

3| Wash the brine off the chicken under running water and soak in ice water for minutes.

4| Make the buttermilk wash: Whisk buttermilk and egg in a bowl. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk mixture for an hour.

5| Make the breading: Combine all ingredients for the breading in a bowl and whisk to combine.

6| Pour some of the buttermilk wash into the seasoned flour. Use a fork or your fingers to create small clumps.

7| Once the chicken is done soaking in the buttermilk mixture, take the pieces out and toss in the breading, making sure each piece is well-coated. Transfer the chicken pieces to a sheet pan and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour up to overnight.

8| Fill a cast iron skillet halfway with vegetable oil and/or lard. Heat the oil to 350ºF, frying a few strips of bacon in the oil to infuse it with flavor.

9| Fry the chicken in batches, turning them halfway during their cooking time, and making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Serve immediately.