Fill a medium-large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add sugar, salt, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and orange peel. Simmer for a minute, while stirring, until the salt and sugar dissolve. Let it cool completely.

Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and pour the cool brine over them. It should cover all the chicken pieces. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 10 hours or up to 24 hours.

Now for frying. Mix the dry ingredients in a large shallow bowl until combined; flour, crushed potato chips, cornmeal, garlic powder, cayenne, pepper, baking powder, and salt. Place another large shallow bowl next to the dry mixture and pour the buttermilk into it. Prepare a wire rack or baking tray to set the battered chicken wings on.

Take a wing and submerge it in buttermilk, lift it, and let the excess milk drip off. Roll the wing in the flour mixture until it’s well coated and place on the rack. Repeat with the remaining wings. Let the wings dry for 30 minutes before frying.

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large pot until a thermometer measures 350°F. Prepare a wire rack for the fried chicken pieces.

Fry the chicken in batches and don’t overcrowd them. The oil temperature will drop when you add the chicken so, adjust accordingly.