Measure 1/4 cup salt into a large bowl (big enough to hold all the chicken). Add 1 cup hot tap water and stir until the salt dissolves. Add cold water to the bowl until it is about one-third full, then add the chicken pieces so they are fully submerged. Add additional cold water as needed to cover the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

After brining, set a wire rack over a large rimmed baking sheet. Remove the chicken from the brine and transfer the pieces to the rack. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels and leave on the rack to air-dry for 30–60 minutes until the surface is very dry.

While the chicken is drying, set out two large clean bowls. In the first bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups cornstarch, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

In the second bowl, pour in the 10 egg whites and whisk briefly just to break them up and make them uniform.

Preheat the oven to 250°F and prepare a clean wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet (or a tray lined with paper towels) to hold fried chicken and keep it crisp in the warm oven.

When the chicken is very dry, roll each piece in the cornstarch-flour mixture so it is evenly coated. Place the coated pieces back on the wire rack and let them rest while you heat the oil.

Place a large Dutch oven or a wide, deep sauté pan (large enough to safely hold 48 ounces of oil) over medium-high heat. Attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pan and pour in 48 ounces peanut oil (or another high-heat oil).

Heat the oil to 360°F. Monitor the temperature and be prepared to adjust the burner to keep the oil between 350°F and 360°F during frying.

Working one piece at a time, dunk a coated chicken piece into the egg whites, let excess egg drip back into the bowl, then carefully place the piece into the hot oil using tongs. Repeat with additional pieces, but do not overcrowd the pan—fry in batches so pieces have space to cook evenly.

Fry each batch for 14–15 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes with tongs so the chicken browns evenly on all sides. Keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust heat if it falls below 350°F or rises above 360°F.

As pieces finish, transfer them to the prepared wire rack over the rimmed baking sheet (or the paper-towel-lined tray). Place the rack/tray in the 250°F oven to keep the chicken warm and crisp while you finish the remaining batches.

Repeat steps 9–11 with the remaining chicken in one or two more batches until all pieces are cooked.

Once all chicken is cooked and warmed in the oven, serve immediately.