Chicken Marinade :
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons hot sauce , such as
Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
Four 8-ounce bone-in, skin-on chicken
breasts
BISCUITS:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
3 cups self-rising flour
6 tablespoons vegetable shortening , cold
1 1/4 cup buttermilk, cold
FRIED CHICKEN:
Vegetable oil or shortening, for frying
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
4 thick slices sharp Cheddar , about 3
ounces
For the chicken: Whisk together the milk,
salt, hot sauce, pepper and eggs in a large
mixing bowl. Add the chicken breasts and
turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic
wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or
up to 24 hours.
For the biscuits: Position an oven rack in the
middle of the oven and preheat to 425
degrees F. Brush a metal 8-inch square
baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted
butter. Whisk the flour in a large mixing
bowl. Work the shortening into the flour with
your fingers or a dough cutter until there are
no large lumps. Gently stir the buttermilk
into the flour mixture until it comes together.
Knead the dough in the bowl, turning 5 to 7
times. Evenly and gently press the dough
into the prepared pan. Brush the top with 1
tablespoon melted butter. Using a bench
scraper or butter knife, cut the dough evenly
into 4 squares. Bake, brushing with the
remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter
halfway through, until golden brown on top
and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool
for 5 minutes on a rack. Invert the biscuits
onto the rack, then cover loosely with
aluminum foil to keep warm while you fry
the chicken. Lower the oven to 325 degrees
F.
Finish the chicken: Fill a large cast-iron pan
halfway up with oil and heat to 350 degrees
F on medium-high heat. Place the flour,
paprika , granulated garlic and salt in a large
resealable plastic bag. Remove the chicken
from the egg mixture, shaking off any
excess. Place in the bag and seal. Shake
until the chicken is evenly coated. Carefully
place the chicken in the hot oil and fry,
turning halfway through with a pair of tongs
until an instant-read thermometer inserted
into the thickest part of each chicken breast
registers 155 degrees F, 18 to 20 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel-lined
plate to drain . Season generously with salt.
Cool for 5 minutes.
To assemble, cut the biscuits into 4 pieces,
then halve each horizontally and put the
bottoms on a baking sheet. Use a pair of
tongs or a knife to remove the bone from
each of the chicken breasts . Use your hands
to tear the chicken breasts into 3 long
pieces, keeping the skin as intact as
possible. Place the pieces from one chicken
breast on each of the biscuit bottoms and
top each with a slice of cheese. Heat them
in the oven until the cheese melts, 3 to 5
minutes. Cover each with the biscuit tops.
Serve immediately.