Country Fried Chicken

1. Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a 3/4-inch thickness.

2. Whisk buttermilk, shallots, garlic, 2 tablespoons salt, sugar, cumin, and black pepper in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken breasts, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

3. Remove chicken from marinade and shake off excess; pat dry with a paper towel. Discard remaining marinade.

4. Sift flour, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons salt together in a shallow bowl; set aside. Beat eggs together in a separate bowl; set aside.

5. Heat about 2 inches vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.

6. While oil is heating, dredge chicken breasts, one at a time, into flour mixture until lightly coated. Dip into beaten eggs. Lift up so excess egg drips back into the bowl. Press into flour mixture again to coat; shake off excess. Place the coated chicken breast, unstacked, onto a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

7. Lower chicken breasts carefully into the hot oil in batches. Fry until golden brown and no longer pink in centers, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined platter to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Cook's Note:

When the breading gets lumpy, use a sifter to sift out the chunks. You can make more flour mixture and use more eggs if you need more for thicker coats.

Editor's Note:

The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the marinade and breading ingredients. The actual amount of the marinade and breading consumed will vary.

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.