For the brine:

Fill a large pot with 5 cups of water. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.

Add the sugar, salt, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and orange peel. Cook, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Transfer to a large shallow dish. Place another large shallow dish next to the flour mixture and add the buttermilk to it. Place a wire rack or pan next to the two dishes, this will be where you set your battered chicken.

Take one drumstick and submerge it in buttermilk. Lift and let any excess drip back into the dish. Roll the drumstick in the flour mixture, coating it completely. Place the battered chicken drumstick on the wire rack and repeat the remaining pieces.

Working in batches, carefully add the chicken pieces to hot oil, careful not to crowd, otherwise the will become greasy.

Let the oil come back to temperature before adding the next batch; repeat with the remaining chicken.