1 1/4 cups buttermilk, divided
1 tablespoon table salt
3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, with breasts cut in half)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 3/4 cups vegetable shortening or peanut oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk and the salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, thyme, pepper, and garlic powder together in large bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup buttermilk to flour mixture and mix with fingers until combined and small clumps form. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, pressing mixture onto pieces to form thick, even coating. Place dredged chicken on a large plate, skin side up.
3. Heat oil in 11-inch straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Carefully place chicken pieces in pan, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and continue to cook until golden brown on second side, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees for breasts and 175 for legs and thighs, 15 to 20 minutes. (Smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces. Remove pieces from oven as they reach -correct temperature.) Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.
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