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The Perfect Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe (Juicy White Meat)

There's nothing more craveable than a perfectly juicy, fried chicken sandwich. I've got the secrets to a crispy and flavorful sandwich, and the technique you need to make it.





2 Large chicken breasts

SEASONING FOR CHICKEN

Salt, msg, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, italian herbs, cayenne pepper.

1.5 cups self rising flour/ 20 turns black pepper/ 2 large pinches of salt

1 cup of liquid (3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup water)

3 tbsp hot sauce for batter

1 tsp seasoning salt for batter


Hot sauce mayo

3 parts kewpie

1 part hot sauce

black pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika


Seemingly Ranch

1/2 cup kewpie mayo

Juice from half a lemon

Tons of black pepper

Garlic powder, salt


4 brioche buns

Pickles

Shredded iceburg lettuce


We need to start by cleaning, trimming, and seasoning our chicken breasts. Ensuring an even thickness is key, as this has a massive impact on cooking time. Trim any excess fat or connective tissue for a smooth eating experience. Cut the breasts in half, aiming for uniform pieces that will fit snugly within your bun. Place a piece of cling film on top of the pieces and pound them with a heavy bottom pan or a mallet. Don't go crazy here, we just want something slightly thinner and much more even. We aren't making cutlets here.


Place these on a wire rack and season generously with a blend of salt, MSG, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried Italian herbs, and a touch of cayenne pepper. Go light on the msg here, as it can make the dish taste a little too fast food-y if you're not careful. Seasoning the chicken generously is crucial, as it will sit in the fridge for a few hours, allowing the flavors to meld, and resulting in a juicier, more flavorful end product. Place the tray on the bottom shelf in the fridge and let it sit for at least an hour, but two is better.


Our sauces are really gonna push this sandwich over the edge. I’ve got not one but two sauces that serve 2 different purposes. I am somebody that consumed one too many Popeyes chicken sandwiches over the years, and I have fallen in love with the spicy mayo they use. To me, it tastes like a combination of hot sauce and mayo, so we’re gonna follow their lead. Mix 3 parts kewpie mayo with 1 part Louisiana hot sauce. Along with the hot sauce, mix in a hefty sprinkle of garlic powder, smoked paprika, pepper, and cayenne. As simple as it may sound, this brings a ton of delicious moisture to the sandwich, and the kewpie mayo helps pump up the umami big time. This is our spicy component, we’ll call it our big daddy sauce.


Our second sauce is going to be a lemony, herby aioli that helps brighten the whole sandwich. This can read a little salty if there isn’t enough acid to lift it. Into a container, mix half a cup of mayo, the juice of half a lemon, and a bunch of black pepper. I want a little tarragon in here for some nice anise flavor, but it can easily overpower the chicken if you use too much, I stick with like a tiny little pile of the leaves. Finely chop those along with a small handful of flat leaf parsley. I’ll add a sprinkle of garlic powder for good measure Mix that together until completely homogenous.


Our breading station is going to be set up like this, one bowl with a combination of 3/4 cup of buttermilk and 1/4 cup water. All buttermilk can lead to a thick coating that won’t be crisp in the short amount of time in the fryer. The other bowl is going to get self rising flour and salt and pepper (go heavy on the pepper here). The wet batter will be seasoned with 3 tablespoons of hot sauce, and maybe like a teaspoon of creole seasoning if you’ve got it.


First drop your chicken into the dry mix to create a real thin coating for the buttermilk to stick to. Move the chicken around to create a thin coating, and then to the wet. Ensure a complete coating with the wet batter, and then press it into the dry one last time. Really press the flour in here, this creates those fissures and cragles that allow the chicken to form a real nice coating. Let your breaded pieces rest for 15 minutes on the wire rack. When you let your breaded food rest like this, it’s less likely that the coating will fall off while frying.


For home frying, a dutch oven is the perfect vessel. It’s large and it holds heat quite well, so the temp doesn’t drop a ton when the food goes in. When I fry food, I set up like this every time. The raw ingredients to the right of the stove with a set of tongs for them. The dutch oven on the stove over the largest burner, and vegetable oil to come up about 1/3rd of the way. To the left, I like a wire rack for the food to rest on once it’s cooked. I keep my salt next to that, and a a pair of clean tongs to grab the food once it’s no longer raw.


Bring your oil up to around 350 degrees. Add your chicken in, 2 pieces and keep an eye on how the temperature changes. A good indication is the bubbling of the chicken, if it’s too aggressive, maybe lower the heat. If it’s not bubbling much at all, it probably needs a little gas. Flip the pieces every 2 minutes or so to ensure an even cook. At around 350, these pieces need around 7 minutes to be perfectly crisp without being overcooked. Set them on a wire rack to cool and sprinkle them with salt while they are hot. Another tip is to flip the chicken while it cools to make sure the oil doesn't pool on the bottom and make it soggy.


These can rest and drain while we toast our buns with a little butter. I really think brioche is the way to go with this, but if you can’t get that, the soft squishy hamburger buns are a good alternative. This is also the time to slice your dill pickles and finely shred some iceberg lettuce. We can build this by smearing a layer of our tangy lemony sauce on the bottom, then topping it with 4-5 pickles. On top of the pickles, place down a handful of shredded lettuce. This will catch and juices that come out of the chicken as you devour it. Place a beautiful fried chicken piece on top and then coat the top bun in our big daddy sauce. Lid that bad boy and get ready to munch on what I would honestly say is my all time favorite chicken sandwich.


It’s juicy, it eats really well because it’s all white meat, and it’s extremely balanced with the two sauces. One is doing a lil spicy work and the other is brightening the whole sandwich. The chicken itself is crazy good, I think you’ll be surprised at how well seasoned it is without worrying about seasoning the flour mix. If you haven’t taken a step into frying food at home, I really hope you give this a shot, you’re gonna be happy you did.


Cheers!



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Hey, I'm Cameron, and I'm glad you're here. I post new recipes every week, all intended to build your confidence in the kitchen, each one with video tutorials to help. Craving something specific? Drop me a note in my contact form! 

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