In a Saucepan or pot, bring 5 cups of water to a boil.

Stir in the granulated sugar, kosher salt, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and orange peel. Keep stirring until sugar and salt dissolve (about 1 minute).

Remove the pot from heat and let it cool completely (room temperature).

Place your chicken pieces (wings or other) in a Mason jar or large Mixing Bowl. Pour the cooled brine over them so they’re fully submerged.

Cover and refrigerate for 10–12 hours (or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor).

Tip: I often brine overnight so the next day I’m ready to fry. The orange peel gives a subtle citrus lift that cuts the heaviness of fried food.

Remove chicken from brine.

Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels (or brown paper, but paper towels work fine).

Let rest for a few minutes so surface moisture evaporates (you want the skin slightly tacky, not wet).

In a large Mixing Bowl or shallow dish, combine all-purpose flour, cornmeal, crushed potato chips, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, baking powder, cracked black pepper, and kosher salt.

Mix well so everything is evenly distributed.

In a second bowl or shallow dish, pour the buttermilk.

Take each chicken piece, dunk into the buttermilk, let excess drip off gently.

Immediately roll and press into the flour-chip mixture, coating thoroughly on all sides.

Place coated chicken on a Cooling Grid or wire rack set over a tray.

Let the coated chicken rest for 20–30 minutes (this helps the coating adhere and “set”).

Tip: Some folks skip this rest, but I’ve found it helps reduce flaking of coating during frying.

In a Dutch oven or sturdy heavy pot (a Deep Fryer works too), pour enough canola oil to reach about 1½–2 inches depth (it should cover about half the height of chicken pieces).

Heat to ~350 °F (177 °C). Use a thermometer to monitor.

Place a Cooling Grid over a tray lined with brown paper or paper towels nearby to catch fried chicken.

Carefully add a few chicken pieces (don’t crowd) to the hot oil. The oil temperature will dip (often to ~300–320 °F). Adjust your heat to bring it back to ~350 °F.

Fry for 8–10 minutes, turning if needed, until golden brown and crisp.

Remove with tongs, transfer to the rack/tray to drain.

Sprinkle a little extra salt over the hot chicken (optional).

Let the oil return to temp before adding the next batch.

My tip: I fry wings first (small pieces) so they cook faster, then larger pieces.

After frying, let the chicken rest 5 minutes (so juices settle).

Serve hot, with hot sauce (optional) or dips.

If you have leftovers, see the “reheat” section below.