Fake Away Fried Chicken

I am a sucker for takeout. Whether it's chicken burgers and chips, or a full feast from my local Chinese, takeaway seems to bring families together in a completely different way than a home cooked meal. Something about the naughtiness of not cooking your own food has always been something that made takeout nights in my house extra special. However, takeaway is often expensive, and not always the healthiest choice. I've been working on developing some Fake Away recipes lately and thought it would only be right to include this one, which has always been a winner in my house. While we may never crack the secret of the 11 herbs and spices, there are a few tricks to the perfect, crispy fried chicken.

Soaking the chicken in buttermilk overnight not only gives extra flavour and gives the breading something to stick to, but it also tenderises the meat; ensuring soft, succulent chicken every. single. time. Using a snaplock bag for your spice mix evenly coats the chicken, AND keeps your kitchen mess free.

Play around with your spices - this is my favourite combination but you may like yours spicier, smokier, or prefer a more mild flavour. I promise as soon as I perfect the sweet and sour sauce, I'll add it to this recipe. You can adapt this recipe to whatever part of the chicken you like, just adjust the cooking times. This is a great way to cook wings and drumsticks, but my favourite is definitely strips of breast.

Ingredients: Serves 4

• 4 Chicken Breasts

• 600ml (one carton) Buttermilk

• 1 Cup Plain Flour

• 1 Tbs Smoked Paprika

• 1 Tsp Salt

• 1/2 Tsp Pepper

• 1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

• 1 Cup Rice Bran Oil

Let's Make This Fried Chicken:

1. Slice the chicken in thick (tenders size) strips. In a large mixing bowl, add chicken and buttermilk and cover with cling film. Leave in the fridge ideally for overnight, or for a minimum of 4 hours.

2. In a large snaplock bag, add flour and spices and shake to combine. Drain the chicken and add to the bag, with as little buttermilk as possible.

3. Seal the bag and shake well, until all the chicken is coated in flour.

4. In a frypan, heat oil and start frying the chicken. You'll know when the oil is hot enough when a piece of flour bubbles as soon as it hits the oil. Each side should take around 5 minutes, but keep an eye on the breading and turn over when golden brown. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate. Season with salt and serve.