Sparkling wine and fried chicken is an iconic pairing that is perfect to celebrate New Year’s Eve and get your year off to an effervescent start!
The recipe is courtesy of French Laundry alumnus, Chef Elliot Bell, chef and owner of Napa Valley’s hottest new restaurant, Charlie’s. Charlie’s fried chicken or CFC requires a beverage that complements the dish’s richness. We particularly love how Frank Family’s sparkling Blanc de Blancs, whose crystalline-like acidity, aids in cutting through the fats on the palate and provides a much-needed lift. From a flavor perspective, the lovely notes of dough and yeast from the wine, align perfectly with the crunchy, golden breading on the chicken, making for a bite that is sublime.
Ingredients: Chicken
| 2 each | Whole chickens, cut into 8 pieces or 4 pounds mixed chicken |
| 1⁄2 gallon | Buttermilk |
Ingredients: Brine
| 16 Cups | Water |
| 1 1⁄4 Cups | Kosher salt |
| 3⁄4 Cup | Sugar |
| 1 Bunch | Thyme (no large stems) |
| 2 each | Zested lemons |
| 2 each | Cracked bay leaves |
Ingredients: Dredge
| 11 Cups | Rice flour |
| 2 Cups | Potato starch |
| 3 Cups | Cornstarch |
| 1 Cup | Baking powder |
| 9 cups | All-purpose flour |
| 5 Tablespoons | Onion powder |
| 5 Tablespoons | Garlic powder |
| 3 Tablespoons | Cayenne pepper |
| 2 Tablespoons | Paprika |
| 3⁄4 Cup | Kosher salt |
Ingredients: Seasoning
| 5 Teaspoons | Buttermilk powder |
| 1 Tablespoons | Honey powder |
| 2 Teaspoons | Kosher salt |
| 5 Teaspoons | Vinegar powder |
| 1 Teaspoon | Ground celery seed |
| 1 Teaspoon | Onion powder |
| 1⁄2 Tablespoon | Finely ground black pepper |
| 1 Tablespoons | Garlic powder |
| 1⁄2 Teaspoon | Ground dill weed |
| 1 Teaspoon | Ground dried parsley |
Method:
Brine: In a large bowl, mix 4 cups of water, salt, and sugar. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, bring the rest of the water to a boil with the aromatics. Add the seasoned water. Pour the brine into a storage container and submerge the chicken. For bone-in chicken, brine for two hours. For boneless chicken, brine for one hour.
Dredge: In a deep container, mix together the rice flour, potato starch, cornstarch, and baking powder. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together all the seasonings. Thoroughly combine the flours and seasonings.
Seasonings: Thoroughly combine all the seasonings.
Fry: Set your fryer to 325° F. Submerge all the chicken pieces in buttermilk. Pull out and cover in the flour mix. Carefully drop the chicken into the fryer, allowing it to fry for 5 minutes undisturbed. Lightly flip the chicken and cook for an additional 7 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes or more. Refry for 2 minutes or until you reach your desired color. Pull out the chicken and rest it on a rack. Lightly dust with seasonings before serving.
