Stephan Pyles' honey fried chicken

HONEY FRIED CHICKEN WITH MINTED CREAM SAUCE AND SPICY SWEET POTATO PUREE

Serves 4-6

For the chicken:
 
1         chicken, 2 ½ - 3 pounds, cut into 6 pieces
½        cup        honey
1        tablespoon    orange juice
1        tablespoon    apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar
1        teaspoon    lemon juice
½        cup        flour
2    eggs
¼        cup        buttermilk
vegetable or corn oil, for frying
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Sauce:

½        cup        dry white wine
½        cup        chicken stock
1 ½    cups        heavy cream
2        tablespoons    chopped fresh mint
2        teaspoons    lemon zest
2        tablespoons    reserved marinade 
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Prepare the sweet potatoes and keep warm or reheat before serving.

Place the chicken pieces into a mixing bowl. Stir together the honey, vinegar and citrus juices and pour over the chicken. Let marinate for four hours, or overnight, refrigerated, turning occasionally.

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 

In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, add enough oil to come one inch up sides; heat to 250 degrees. It's important to cook at a low temperature to prevent the honey from caramelizing too quickly and burning.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain on paper towels. Strain the marinade and reserve 2 tablespoons for the sauce. Dip the chicken in the egg wash, season well with salt and black pepper and dredge in the flour, coating thoroughly. 

Starting with the dark meat first, gently drop the pieces into the hot oil for 5-6 minutes on the first side until browned. Turn the pieces and add the white meat, and continue cooking, adjusting the heat, so the chicken browns evenly on both sides without burning. Turn once more and cook until well browned and tender when pierced with a fork. The dark meat will take 15 to 18 minutes and the white meat will take 10 to 12 minutes. Place the chicken on an ovenproof plate lined with towels and transfer to the oven while making sauce.

Pour the oil from the skillet leaving only the solids at the bottom. Pour the wine in the pan and stir to incorporate the brown bits. Add the white wine and reduce liquid by half. Add the cream, mint, lemon zest and reserved marinade. Bring to a boil and reduce until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 6 minutes. Strain the sauce and season with salt and black pepper.

Serve with the spicy sweet potato puree.