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Good Southern cooks swear to brining a chicken before frying it. Here's how to do it.

Pour 4 cups of cold water into a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to dissolve. Place pieces of a whole chicken, cut up, in brine, then set aside in a cool place to soak for two hours.

Drain, rinse, then pat dry with paper towels. This process keeps the chicken moist and tender on the inside throughout the frying process.