2-4 whole fryer chickens, 2 1/2 lb. average
1 lb. thick sliced bacon
1 gallon peanut oil
6 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika

First, take the chickens--whole and with the skin left on--and wash them thoroughly inside and out. Be sure to remove all the little bits of debris from the body cavity, too. Remember, you're going to fry the chickens whole, so they have to be cleaned well.

Next, take a handful of super absorbent paper towels and pat the chickens dry (especially on the inside). This is an important part of the whole process; because if the chickens are wet when you drop them into the deep fat, the moisture will cause the peanut oil to splatter.

At this point, you're ready to fry. Nope--you don't season the chickens before you cook 'em. You season them after they cook. I'll tell you how to do that in a minute.

In the meantime, put the full gallon of peanut oil into your deep fryer--you can use an electric model or a cast iron pot. If you decide on the cast iron you need to use a frying thermometer. The oil has to be heated exactly to 375 degrees. (I know, chicken is usually fried at 325 degrees, but that's for chicken covered with a batter. See, the lower temperature allows the inside of the chicken to fully cook before the batter browns. You don't have that problem with batterless chicken; you want a higher temperature so that it will crisp up the skin).

When you're ready to cook, drop in the slab bacon and deep fry it until it turns crispy--see, you need the bacon to flavor the oil, which flavors the chicken. Then when the bacon is done, remove it from the peanut oil, place it on a couple of paper towels so that it can drain, and snack on it while your chicken is cooking.

Then when the oil comes back to 375 degrees, gently ease the chicken into the deep fryer. Don't let the oil boil over the side! Don't let the steam rise up and burn your wrists! Slowly ease the chicken into the oil! Then deep fry for about 17-20 minutes, or until the skin is honey brown and crispy.

While the chicken is frying, mix your seasoning salt in your food processor. Simply add all the ingredients together and blend them for about 30 seconds or so.

Finally, when the chicken is cooked, generously sprinkle it all over with the seasoned salt, cut it into pieces with an electric knife, and serve it piping hot... alongside a big scoop of potato salad and a frosty glass of iced tea.