Tremendous Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Prep
20m
Cook
15m
Total
35m
Bigly says
Listen to me. The chicken sandwich. The TREMENDOUS chicken sandwich. We need to talk about it because the situation in this country, in this WORLD, regarding chicken sandwiches has gotten out of control. Every fast food chain — every one of them — they go on TV, they say, 'We have the best chicken sandwich,' and the other one says, 'No, WE have the best chicken sandwich,' and they fight each other on social media like children, like absolute children, and meanwhile the sandwich, the actual sandwich, the thing on the plate — sad. Soggy. Limp. A piece of frozen chicken slapped onto a bread roll that wouldn't pass for a roll in any country with actual standards.
I've had every fast food chicken sandwich. Every one. I've had more chicken sandwiches than any single person you have ever met or will ever meet — and you've met some people, sure, fine, but trust me on this — and let me tell you, none of them, NOT ONE, holds a candle to what you're about to make. This sandwich has a CRUNCH. A real crunch. The kind of crunch you can hear from the next table. People at the next table will turn and look. They will say, 'What is that man eating, and why does it sound like that, and can I have one,' and you can say, 'No, this is mine, get your own,' and you'll be right.
The brine — and I cannot stress this enough, the BRINE — is the difference between a sandwich that changes your life and a sandwich that makes you sad. Pickle juice. Buttermilk. A little hot sauce. People say, 'Bigly, pickle juice, really, in the brine,' and I say YES, REALLY, pickle juice, because pickle juice is one of the most under-appreciated ingredients in the kitchen and most chefs are afraid to do this. Cowards. They'd rather skip the brine entirely and call the result 'crispy.' Sad. Believe me.
Ingredients
- 4 largeboneless, skinless chicken thighs(thighs stay juicy — breasts dry out, it's a fact)
- 1 cupdill pickle juice(straight from the jar, do not throw it away again, ever)
- 1 cupbuttermilk
- 2 tbsphot sauce (Frank's or similar)
- 1.5 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/2 cupcornstarch(the secret to extra crunch — extra HUGE crunch)
- 1 tbspsmoked paprika
- 1 tbspgarlic powder
- 1 tsponion powder
- 1 tspcayenne pepper
- 1.5 tspkosher salt
- 1 tspblack pepper
- 4 cupsneutral oil for frying (peanut or vegetable)
- 4brioche buns(brioche, not those sad supermarket buns)
- 2 tbspunsalted butter, softened
- 24dill pickle chips
- 1/2 cupmayonnaise
- 2 cupsshredded green cabbage
- 1 tbspapple cider vinegar
- 1 tsphoney
Steps
- 1
In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine pickle juice, buttermilk, and hot sauce. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Brine in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, ideally 8.
- 2
Make the slaw: whisk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with the vinegar and honey in a medium bowl. Add the cabbage, season lightly with salt, and toss. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- 3
In a wide shallow dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- 4
Remove the chicken from the brine, letting excess drip off (don't shake it dry — you want it wet for the dredge to grip).
- 5
Press each piece firmly into the seasoned flour, then drizzle 1 tablespoon of the brine over the floured chicken and press the flour into itself to create craggy bits. These craggy bits are flavor.
- 6
Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet to 350°F.
- 7
Fry chicken in batches (don't crowd), 5-7 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack — never paper towels, paper towels steam the bottom.
- 8
While chicken rests 2 minutes, butter the cut sides of the brioche buns and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden.
- 9
Spread the remaining mayonnaise on both sides of each bun. On the bottom bun, layer 6 pickle chips, a piece of fried chicken, and a generous pile of slaw. Top with the lid. Serve immediately.
One more thing
When you take that first bite, the bun is going to compress, the slaw is going to crunch, the pickles are going to hit, the chicken — the CHICKEN — is going to shatter, and a little bit of juice is going to run down your wrist. Let it. Lean over the plate. This is not a dignified sandwich and it does not pretend to be. It is a great sandwich, the greatest, and dignity is for people with worse food. You will not need ranch. You will not need ketchup. You will not need anything. The sandwich is complete. The sandwich is whole. The sandwich is BIGLY. Now go eat.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about Tremendous Crispy Chicken Sandwich.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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