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1
Twenty-four hours before cooking, prepare the brine: In a large bowl, whisk 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water with the remaining brine ingredients until the salt has dissolved.
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2
Submerge the chicken pieces in the brine.
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3
Cover and refrigerate.
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4
(To save space, you can also put the chicken and brine in a large sealable bag.)
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5
When ready to cook, prepare the breading by whisking together 2 cups of the flour and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a medium bowl.
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6
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up, then whisk in the buttermilk.
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7
In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups of flour, the cornmeal, sage, mustard, paprika, thyme and 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
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8
Dredge the chicken in the plain flour, then in the buttermilk, then in the cornmeal mixture, taking care not to let the breading get too thick.
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9
Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
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10
Meanwhile, set a large 12-to-14-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and fill with oil to 11/2 inches below the top.
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11
Heat until the oil reaches 325 degrees.
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12
Working in batches, fry the chicken pieces, turning them 3 or 4 times to create an even, dark-golden crust.
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13
Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.
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14
(Place a splatter guard over the pan as you fry.)
