Lemon-Marinated Tuscan-Jewish Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, backbones reserved for stock
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice from 3 lemons
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Vegetable, peanut, canola, or olive oil, for frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Put the chicken, lemon juice, garlic, salt, plenty of freshly ground pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Seal it well, shake until the marinade is distributed all over, and refrigerate for 1 hour at minimum, but no longer than 2 hours.
2. When you are ready to fry, add oil to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches in a Dutch oven, wok, or large cast iron skillet. Heat it until an instant-read thermometer reads 375 degrees F. Set out 2 wide bowls, one with the flour and one with the egg.
3. Drain the chicken. In batches if needed, coat each piece in flour and shake away the extra, then dip it into the egg. Let the extra egg drip off before carefully placing the chicken in the hot oil; the temperature will drop. Fry, turning the pieces from time to time and keeping the oil between 325 and 350 degrees F, until the outside is golden brown and the breast pieces reach 145 degrees F while the drumsticks and thighs reach 155 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
4. Move the fried chicken to paper towels to drain, then place it on a wire rack arranged over a baking sheet. Add a sprinkle of salt. Let the chicken rest for a full 3 minutes after the center of the breast reaches 150 degrees F. Serve right away with lemon wedges. Alternatively, let it cool to room temperature, then re-fry it in hot oil just before serving.