The Best Fried Chicken — Three Many Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (3 to 3½ pounds), cut into 10 pieces (2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, and 2 breast halves, halved crosswise) neck, giblets, wing tips, and back reserved for another use
• 11/2 cups buttermilk
• 4 teaspoons fine salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• A generous 2 cups vegetable oil (or enough to measure ½-inch deep in a 12-inch skillet)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour