Fried chicken in breadcrumbs with white gravy

Ingredients:

Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 700 g)
• 1 and 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 and 1/4 cups of sour milk or kefir
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 large egg
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Gravy

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 0.5 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 95°C. Place racks on 2 baking sheets.
2. Place 1 chicken breast in a bag or between two pieces of cling film. Pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until the chicken is 0.5–1 cm thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
3. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, and egg. Arrange the chicken, flour mixture, liquid mixture, and prepared baking sheet on a counter near the stove. Dredge 1 chicken breast in the flour mixture, coating completely, then dip it in the liquid mixture and shake off any excess. Dredge the chicken again in the flour mixture, coating completely, and transfer it to one of the racks on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
4. Pour 2–2.5 cm of oil into a deep cast-iron skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C (350°F) on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry the chicken in two batches until golden brown, 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer to the second rack of the baking sheet and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
5. Gravy:
   
   In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until light brown, about 2 minutes. Pour in the milk in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper, then the vinegar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the fried chicken with the gravy.