1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add chicken; turn to coat well. Let marinate for about 15 minutes. Stir breadcrumbs and sage in another bowl; set aside.
2. Heat about 1 inch oil in a large skillet until it reaches 365 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, transfer chicken from the buttermilk mixture to the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides completely. Gently place in the hot oil. Cook, turning halfway through with tongs, until crisp and dark golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack or paper towels to drain. Transfer to a baking sheet, and put in oven to keep warm. Remove any bits of coating from skillet with a slotted spoon, and discard before adding more chicken. Repeat with remaining chicken. Garnish with fried leaves.

Yield: 4 servings