Fried Chicken Thighs with Ranch Dressing

To make the ranch dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, garlic paste, chives, cilantro, dill, salt and cayenne. Serve immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This makes about 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) dressing.

To make the chicken, in a large bowl or large baking dish, combine 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) of the buttermilk, 1 Tbs. salt and the hot sauce. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Drain the chicken thighs in a colander, transfer to a baking sheet and pat them very dry.

Set up a dredging station: Place the remaining 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) buttermilk in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, chile de árbol powder, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Season with salt and black pepper and whisk to combine. Divide the flour mixture between two shallow bowls. For an extra-craggy, crispy crust, drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of buttermilk into the second bowl of seasoned flour, and use your fingers to create some flour clumps.

Set a wire rack in a baking sheet. Working in batches of 3 or 4, dredge the thighs in the first bowl of seasoned flour and shake off the excess, then dip in the buttermilk and allow the excess to drain off. Dredge in the second bowl of seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Put the chicken pieces on the wire rack while the oil heats.

Pour about 2 inches (5 cm) of neutral oil into a deep cast-iron skillet or large Dutch oven; the oil should not come more than halfway up the sides of the pot. Put the pot over medium-high heat and heat the oil to 375°F (190°C) on a deep-fry thermometer.

Set a clean wire rack in a second baking sheet. Add 4 of the chicken thighs to the hot oil and fry, turning the pieces occasionally, until evenly golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. While the chicken cooks, adjust the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature between 300° and 325°F (150° and 165°F). Using a slotted spoon, remove the thighs from the oil and transfer to the wire rack to drain. Bring the oil back to 375°F (190°C) and repeat with the remaining chicken thighs.

Serve the chicken hot with the ranch dressing on the side. Serves 4.

Adapted from Sundays with Sophie by Bobby Flay (Clarkson Potter, 2022)