Season & Brine

1. Begin by gathering your dry seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk them together thoroughly. Then, transfer half of this mixture into an extra-large zip-top plastic bag, setting aside the rest for later use.
2. Next, place the cut-up chicken into the plastic bag, along with ½ cup of pickle juice and ¼ cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Seal the bag securely and give it a good shake and squeeze to ensure every piece of chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Stash the bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour or as long as 24 hours, flipping the bag occasionally to keep the marinade distributed evenly.

Breading

1. When you're ready to bread the chicken, prepare your wet and dry coatings. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the buttermilk, another ½ cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce, and 2 eggs. Whisk these ingredients together until smooth. In another bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, cracker meal, and the reserved dry seasoning.
2. To coat the chicken, work with one piece at a time. Remove a piece from the brine, letting any excess liquid drip off, and then dredge it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
3. Dip it next into the buttermilk mixture, ensuring it's fully coated, then let the excess drip off before returning it to the flour mixture for a final coat. Press the flour mixture onto the chicken to ensure it's completely covered. Set the coated chicken on a wire rack placed over a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining pieces.
4. If time permits, set the uncovered breaded chicken on a wire rack-lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of an hour to help dry out breading.

Fry

1. When ready to fry, remove chicken from refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature while the oil is heating.
2. Pour about 2 inches of peanut oil into a large Dutch oven or a deep cast-iron skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 325 degrees Fahrenheit, which should take about 5 minutes.
3. Fry the chicken in batches. Carefully lower a few pieces into the hot oil and fry them, turning every 1 to 2 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown and the chicken has cooked through approximately 6 minutes total. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the thickest parts of the thigh or breast reach at least 165 degrees.
4. As each batch finishes, transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack-lined baking sheet. Continue frying the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the oil temperature steady at 325 degrees.
5. To keep the fried chicken warm while you finish cooking, transfer the batches to a wire rack-lined baking sheet and place them in a warm oven. Serve once all the chicken has been cooked and is piping hot.