Ramen Fried Chicken

• 2 C water
• 3/4 C (158 g) salt
• 3/4 C (185 g) sugar
• 1 3-4 lb chicken
• 1 C buttermilk
• 2 4.2 oz. packages Shin ramen noodles, seasoning packets reserved
• 2 3.5 oz. packages Ichiban ramen noodles, seasoning packets reserved

canola oil, for frying

1. Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat; cook until the salt and sugar have dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Let the brine cool. Cut the chicken into 12 pieces: 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, and wings and breasts into 2 pieces each; add to brine and refrigerate for 3 1/2 hours. (Remove the chicken from the brine and hold in the refrigerator until ready to use if you need to do this in advance of frying the chicken.)
2. Using a high-powered blender, grind ramen noodles into a fine powder. (This can also be accomplished by using a food processor to pulverize the ramen noodles into small bits, and then a coffee grinder to get it to a powder. Or sub 3 cups all-purpose flour for the ground-up noodles.) Stir one of the seasoning packets into the ground noodles (or flour).
3. Stir a seasoning packet into the buttermilk; remove chicken from brine and place in buttermilk. Heat 2 inches of oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or deep-fryer to 340°F. Working in batches, dip chicken pieces in flour mixture, then add to oil; cook, turning as needed, until chicken is crispy and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, 10-12 minutes. Remove using tongs and let drain on paper towels. While still warm, sprinkle the contents of the remaining seasoning packets over the fried chicken. Eat hot.