OUTDOOR FRIED CHICKEN FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• Put thighs in a large roasting pan or other flat pan that will hold them all in a single layer. Add buttermilk to cover, cover pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24, turning once or twice.
• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Combine sage, Old Bay, salt and pepper; mix well. Remove thighs from buttermilk, drain, then sprinkle on both sides with spice mix, rubbing lightly to make sure it adheres. Put flour and baking powder in a big paper bag and shake to mix. Working in batches, add about a third of the thighs and shake to coat with flour mixture; remove thighs from bag and repeat with next 2 batches.
• Put vegetable oil and bacon in a 20-inch skillet. Set skillet over high flame; keep an eye on the thermometer because you want to be ready to fry when oil hits about 370 degrees.
• When oil is up to heat, remove bacon and drain it to eat later. Shake excess flour off 1 thigh and add thigh to oil; there should be intense bubbling. Shake excess flour off half the remaining thighs and add them to pan, skin side down; oil should come about halfway up sides of thighs. Cook until golden brown on the side facing down, about 7 to 9 minutes. Flip over and cook until golden brown on the second side, another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
• Allow oil to come back up to 370 degrees and repeat with remaining thighs. They may take 1 to 2 minutes less per side to brown.
• Put browned thighs in a roasting pan or a large sheet pan and cook in oven until cooked through with no trace of pink, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm, or wait up to 2 hours and serve at room temperature.

CONTEST-WINNING SUNDAY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Place about 1 cup flour mixture in a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken, a few pieces at a time. Seal bag and shake to coat. Store remaining mixture in an airtight container and save for another use., In a large skillet, brown chicken on medium-high heat in 1/2 in. of oil on all sides; remove to a large shallow baking pan., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

EASY GOURMET CHICKEN FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• Grease either two 13x 9 pans or one large half sheet cake pan.
• Arrange chicken tenders in pan(s).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat oil in large skillet.
• Saute onions and peppers till soft.
• Add garlic to skillet about halfway through to let flavors blend.
• Arrange over chicken.
• Combine soups, wine, lemon juice and spices.
• Pour over chicken.
• Cover and bake for 3 hours.
• Serve over rice or noodles. I Served it with sticky rice and a salad.
• The 'gravy' came out perfect consistency for me, but it could be thickened with a cornstarch paste or thinned by adding chicken broth.

MAKE-AHEAD FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the marinade: Whisk together all the marinade ingredients, except the chicken, and place in a large bowl or plastic bag. Submerge the chicken in the marinade, cover bowl or seal bag, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or, better, overnight.
• Make the coating: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cayenne, salt and chile powder. Place a paper bag inside another paper bag (to prevent seepage, use large bags or several small ones) and transfer the flour mixture into it. This is so you can shake the chicken pieces. (You can also just mix flour in a bowl and dredge the chicken parts in it, or use a heavy-duty plastic zipper bag for shaking.)
• Take a piece of chicken out of the marinade and place it in the bag with the flour mixture. Close the bag and shake it so the chicken is fully coated. (Or, if you are using a bowl, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.) Remove and place on a plate or sheet pan. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces, one by one. Let chicken rest for 30 minutes so it can come to room temperature. Reserve the coating mixture.
• In a large Dutch oven or heavy skillet with a lid, heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees. Just before frying, shake the chicken pieces in the coating mixture once again, one by one.
• Fry the chicken for 6 minutes, covered, then uncover the pot and flip the chicken with tongs. Continue frying for about another 6 minutes, or until the coating is dark golden brown and the juices run clear when the meat is pricked with a fork.
• Place chicken on a wire rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool. Serve within 8 hours, but it's best to serve within 4 hours and leave the chicken at room temperature, rather than chilling it.