Season the Chicken: Place the cut up chicken in a large bowl. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons onion powder on top and toss to coat the chicken in the spices.

Marinate: Add 2 cups buttermilk and 2 Tablespoons hot sauce. Stir until everything is combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but it’s best if you can let it sit overnight.

Prepare the Coating: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons paprika and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Set aside.

Heat the Oil: Fill up a deep fryer with peanut oil (or neutral frying oil of your choice) and preheat to 325 °F – you may need to turn down the heat to 300 °F if you notice the skin is getting dark too quickly. Also, if using a cast iron skillet, please remember it holds heat very well so it is easy for it to get too hot so please monitor closely.

Coat the Chicken Pieces: Taking the chicken pieces one at a time, let the excess buttermilk drip off. Coat in the flour mixture, making sure the chicken is well coated. Shake off any excess. Set the chicken aside and let it sit for a few minutes until the coating starts to look a little pasty.

Fry the Chicken: Carefully add the chicken to the deep fryer and continue with the next piece. Don’t add more than three or four pieces at a time. You will need to fry in batches so you do not overcrowd the fryer. Fry until golden brown, turning every few minutes. Chicken is done when golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. Depending on the size of the chicken, dark meat can take about 12 14 minutes and white meat takes 8 10 minutes (these are estimates—use a meat thermometer for accurate doneness).

Drain and Season: When the chicken is done frying, place it on a paper towel-lined sheet tray and immediately sprinkle a little flaked salt on top. Continue with the rest of the chicken pieces.