Chicken Fried Chicken with White Gravy

• 4 medium Chicken breast, boneless, skinless
• 300 ml Buttermilk
• 180 g Plain flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Ground garlic
• ½ tsp Cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp Black pepper
• 250 ml Vegetable oil
• 500 ml Whole milk

1. Place each chicken breast between two sheets of baking paper and gently pound to an even thickness of about 1.5 cm. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl and add 1 tsp of the fine sea salt, 0.5 tsp of the black pepper, and 0.5 tsp of the cayenne pepper; stir to combine. Add the chicken, turn to coat, and leave to soak while you prepare the flour.
2. In a second shallow bowl, mix the plain flour, baking powder, ground garlic, the remaining fine sea salt, the remaining cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp of the black pepper. Lift a piece of chicken from the buttermilk, let the excess drip off, then press firmly into the flour mixture on both sides. Return it briefly to the buttermilk, then coat again in the flour for a thicker crust; repeat with the remaining chicken.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the chicken in batches for 4 to 6 minutes per side, adjusting the heat so the coating turns deep golden and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you make the gravy.
4. Carefully pour off all but about 3 tbsp of the oil from the pan, keeping the browned bits. Whisk in 3 tbsp of the seasoned flour mixture and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly, until it smells toasty but not dark. Slowly whisk in the whole milk and simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Season the gravy with the remaining black pepper, tasting as you go. Serve the chicken hot with the peppery white gravy spooned over the top. If the gravy thickens too much, whisk in a splash more whole milk over low heat.

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