Fried Chicken

Place chicken pieces into a ziplock bag and fill with buttermilk. Refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours. I like to use peanut oil for its high smoking point. Add peanut oil to come 1/3 of the way up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Heat to 350F. Check oil temperature often while frying. While gas burners work well to allow fine control, you can do an excellent job on a electric burner. Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture, but you don''t have to use it all - it will depend on how big your fryer is. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess - let sit for 2 - 3 minutes. Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. Leave plenty of space between the pieces. If you try to fry too much at once the temperature of your oil will plumment and the chicken won''t cook well. Also, the oil should not come more than half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 8 to 10 minutes per side. The internal temperature should be around 165 -170F. (Be careful to monitor oil temperature every few minutes keeping it at 325 once chicken is added.) Drain chicken on a rack over a jelly roll pan. Don''t use paper towels or bags. If you''re doing 2 or more batches, cover loosely with foil until ready to serve. Avoid a warm oven, it will dry the chicken out. Mix ancho chili powder into the honey and drizzle on the chicken just before serving.