Paul Qui, the Top Chef star from Texas, adds a secret ingredient to the batter for his chicken: Madras curry powder. Slideshow: More Great Fried Chicken Recipes
How to Make It
In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, garlic, Thai chiles, ginger and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Set a rack over a baking sheet. In a large, resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, curry powder and 1 tablespoon of salt and shake to blend. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Transfer the coated chicken to the rack.
In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 350°. Set another rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Fry the chicken at 300°, turning once, until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each piece registers 160°, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the fried chicken to the rack and let stand for 5 minutes before serving with the sweet chile sauce.
