Best Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe
If you’ve tried my Buttermilk Fried Chicken then you know you are in for a real treat! And while that recipe is dear to me because who doesn’t love classic fried chicken drumsticks, thighs, or even breasts!?! I’m also a huge fan of downhome properly made fried chicken sandwiches with all the fixings. So I decided to take my already delicious fried chicken and turn it into the best fried chicken sandwich around! But people hear the words homemade fried chicken and think it’s messy and time consuming. And when it comes to frying chicken I don’t mess around, but I don’t complicate it either. So I’m here to show you how easy it actually is to make a fried chicken sandwich that is just as good as one of your favorite fast food chains! The chicken on my sandwich is first marinated for a bit in a super flavorful mixture of buttermilk and spices. Next, it’s breaded and fried to crispy perfection all the while keeping the meat nice and juicy. Then I put that chicken on some soft burger buns spread with my amazing sriracha honey mayo that’s got a splash of pickle juice in it to make it out of this world! And to finish, the sandwich is topped with a scoop of fresh coleslaw and some tasty pickles! Serve these sandwiches one night with a side of my Air Fryer French Fries and your family will be amazed by all the deliciousness!
Chicken – You’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts and boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. You could use just one or the other, but the recipe is so tasty with both. Buttermilk – Adds a lovely tang flavor and makes the chicken both tender and crispy. Salt – Used to season and bring out the natural flavor of the chicken. Spices – A perfectly balanced mixture of sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and white pepper is used to add flavor to the chicken.
Flour – Basic all-purpose flour is used to bread the fried chicken. Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Helps the breading to puff up a bit when fried and makes it crispy too. Seasonings – Salt and black pepper are used to season the flour mixture. Spices – Like the marinade, a similar mixture of sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper plus some added dried oregano is used to make the breading extra tasty.
Mayonnaise – You can use any store-bought mayo or make your own homemade mayonnaise. Honey – Adds the perfect touch of sweetness to balance out the spicy mayo. Pickle Juice – The acidic vinegar base of the pickle brine makes this sauce incredible. Sriracha – It’s spicy and loaded with garlic. You can add more if you like or less if you want to make a more mild sauce for your sandwiches.
Burger Buns – You can use any type of buns you like. Coleslaw – Adds some yummy freshness to the sandwich. You can pick some up at the store or use my easy coleslaw recipe. Pickles – No fried chicken sandwich would be complete without some sliced pickles.
Making fried chicken does not have to be hard when you use my easy recipe! The most important thing is just to follow the simple directions and you’ll have no trouble at all! To begin, the chicken needs to be pounded thin before being marinated. The best way to do this is to put the pieces of chicken between 2 layers of plastic wrap and then use a meat mallet or rolling pin to beat them until they are about ¼ inch in thickness. However, be careful. You don’t want to tear the meat. Next, we are going to infuse the chicken with some flavor, but first set the meat aside for a moment. Then mix all the other marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Now, add the chicken to the marinade and coat it well. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least an hour. While the chicken is busy marinating in the fridge, you can make the honey sriracha mayo. To do this, just use a whisk to mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Then cover the sauce with some plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until ready to use. Once the chicken is done marinating, you can begin getting it ready to fry. First, combine all the breading ingredients together in a shallow bowl. Then dredge each piece of chicken one at a time through the flour mixture and set it on a baking sheet with a wire rack on top. Be sure that you completely coat each piece. Now you can begin heating about 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F (177°C) in a large skillet. You can also fry the chicken in a large pot or Dutch oven. However, if the oil begins to get too hot you need to turn the temperature down or off. You can then turn it back on once the oil cools off a bit. Using a digital cooking thermometer or candy thermometer is an easy way to keep an eye on the temperature of the hot oil. And while the oil is heating, place a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with a bunch of paper towels. After the oil reaches the proper temperature, add one to two pieces of chicken at a time to the skillet and fry them for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Be careful not to splash yourself with hot oil when flipping them over. You need to cook the chicken in batches. It’s important not to crowd the pan. Then transfer the cooked chicken to the wire rack and repeat the process with the other pieces of chicken. Finally, let’s make some fried chicken sandwiches! To start, make sure the excess oil has drained from the chicken. Then spread your buns with a bit of the sriracha mayo. Then put a piece of fried chicken on the bottom bun. Now, add some coleslaw, pickles, and the top bun to finish! You can also toast your buns if you choose, I prefer mine toasted but it’s up to you.
Why Do You Soak Chicken In Buttermilk Before Frying?
The reason for marinating the chicken in buttermilk is because the acidic nature of it does a few important things. First, it adds some delicious tang. But the buttermilk also makes the chicken tender and the breading extra crispy. However, if you don’t have any buttermilk on hand you can easily make your own by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to every one cup of milk and then letting it sit for about 5 minutes to curdle a bit.
Can I Bake The Chicken?
Yes! But it won’t get as crispy. After breading the chicken, allow them to sit for about 10 minutes until the flour mixture becomes sticky. Then spray both sides of the chicken with cooking spray. Now, bake for 12 minutes at 425°F (218°C), flip, and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is browned and crisp.
Storage
Assembled fried chicken sandwiches will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, just pop them in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or put them in a toaster oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 5 minutes. The leftover fried chicken pieces can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months when double-wrapped in plastic wrap. Then you can reheat the chicken from frozen in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 15 to 20 minutes. Yet, reheating times will vary from oven to oven.
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