Extra Crispy Fried Chicken

Ingredients

Combine water, bay leaf in a small bowl and micowave till just simmering, about 45 seconds.Steep for 10 minutes. In
a large bowl combine salt, sugar, pepper and garlic powder. Stir in buttermilk. Stir several times over the next 5
minutes to help dissolve salt and sugar. Strain the infused water into buttermilk (discard spices). Stir in chicken.
Cover and chill for 2 hours, stirring twice. Lightly rinse chicken then dry well. Can be done ahead.
While chicken is brining, make coatings. In a bowl combine the Flour and spices for the Dredge. In another bowl,
combine all the dry ingredients for the batter. Have the water measured, but do add until time to fry.
Set up your fry station. Pour 2 inches of peanut oil into a large cast iron skillet, insert a thermometer. Have a large
sheet pan available to set the coated chicken. Have another sheet pan topped paper towels to drain chicken after first
fry. Lastly have another sheet with a rack and paper towels for chicken after last fry. Heat oil to 300.
Dump about a third of the flour into a pie dish (using a portion at a time prevents excess clumps). Whisk water into
batter ingredients. You will dip a third of the chicken at a time. Dredge wings in flour, shake off extra. Dip in batter,
let excess drip off. Carefully re-dip in flour. Set on sheet pan. When oil is hot, add the chicken. Fry about 5-6 minutes
until light golden, turn once. Chicken will not be cooked through. Adjust oil temp as needed. Transfer to paper towel
lined sheet. Add half of remaining dredge to dish and repeat process with half of the remaining wings. Add last of
dredge to dish and finish the rest. Can refry all now, let sit at room temp for 2 hours or let cool then cover and chill
up to a day. Let sit at room temp for an hour before frying.
Heat oil to 350. Refry in 2 or 3 batches until richly colored, turning once. Let drain on paper towel covered racks.
Serve!