The perfect fried chicken sandwich. Does it exist? Fried chicken sandwiches have become all the rage over the past few years, many influenced by the hot chicken craze originating in Nashville, and others just a standard fried chicken sandwich with a pat of mayo on a standard bun.
We knew we had to recreate this gem in the kitchen, with one major modification– using thighs instead of breast, because not only are thighs much easier to cook but they’re a fattier, more flavorful cut of chicken and much less likely to dry out. Dry chicken = no bueno. After testing several batches of this recipe over several months, the end result is one we’re beyond proud of. Make your homemade pickles the day before or morning of, and everything else can be made just before serving.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Bread: we’re using ciabatta bread for this sandwich, just like they use at Worth Takeaway, but you can use any kind of bread that you like (potato bun, hamburger bun, brioche, you name it).
- Spreads: the combination of both full-fat mayo and a homemade sriracha honey are the perfect condiments to this fried chicken sando.
- Pickles: 100% homemade pickles are a must-have for the perfect fried chicken sandwich. Incredibly easy to make and will completely revolutionize your homemade fried chicken sandwich game.
- Gem lettuce: a couple bucks more than your standard lettuce but gem lettuce or butter leaf lettuce are not only the perfect size for your sandwich, but a beautiful and delicious upgrade.
- Fried chicken: and fried chicken thighs in particular. They’re easier to cook, much harder to dry out, and have so much more FLAVOR than chicken breasts. Never fear– if we still haven’t convinced you, there are modifications in the recipe notes if you insist on using chicken breasts.
How to Make Fried Chicken Sandwiches
- Make the bread and butter pickles. Salt sliced cucumbers to remove any excess liquid and combine with onions in a warm salty-sweet brine. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours for optimum pickled goodness.
- Prep the bread and toppings. Bring the chicken to room temperature. Toast buttered ciabatta rolls, make the honey sriracha sauce, and have the mayo, pickles, and lettuce ready to go.
- Fry the chicken. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a cast iron skillet and prep the dredging stations. Using tongs, dip each piece of chicken first in the buttermilk mixture, and then in the flour mixture. For extra crispy chicken, do this process twice. Cook chicken in the hot oil until golden brown on both sides, turning once or twice while cooking, until the chicken reaches 165 F internally. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet and salt immediately.
- Assemble the sandwiches. To assemble the sandwiches, first spread the insides of the ciabatta roll with a generous pat of mayo. Then to the bottom half, add the sriracha honey, lettuce, homemade pickles, fried chicken, and finish with the top half of the roll.
Tips and Tricks
- Cook your chicken at room temperature. Simply take your chicken out of the fridge about an hour before cooking, which will allow your oil to maintain its temperature better and the chicken to cook more evenly.
- Make sure your oil is 350 degrees throughout the entire frying process. Too hot and it will quickly brown the outside and leave you with undercooked, raw chicken (yikes). A deep-fry thermometer works best for this because you can leave it in the oil the entire time, but you can also use an instant-read thermometer intermittently.
- Don’t be afraid to cut into your chicken or use a thermometer to make sure it’s done. Sure, you want your final product to look beautiful and unscathed, but it may take a little bit of practice before you’re 100% confident in your chicken frying abilities. Plus no one will be able to tell once it’s covered in lettuce, spreads, and bread. Simply cut into the thickest part of the chicken to check for doneness, or use an instant-read thermometer and make sure it’s 165 F.
- Once the fried chicken is done cooking, place it on a wire rack (preferably situated on top of a baking sheet), so you chicken can cool but remain nice and crispy. Cooling on paper towels will humidify that crispy, delicious fried chicken that you worked so hard for.
- And while we’re on the topic of the post-frying process, make sure you salt your chicken while it’s hot and just out of the oil. If you wait too long, the salt won’t adhere as well to the exterior of your fried chicken.
- Last but not least, be prepared. Before you start frying your chicken, make sure your fried chicken station including the buttermilk and flour mixtures are ready to go. Slice your bread and make sure the mayo, sriracha honey, lettuce, and pickle slices are neatly arranged on your counter for sandwich assembly. Once the chicken is done cooking, you’ll want to enjoy this sandwich hot!
FAQs
We love the tang and thickness of the buttermilk, but you could use full fat yogurt thinned out with some milk for a similar effect.
You can marinate your chicken in the buttermilk mixture overnight, but we haven’t found a huge difference in the end product.
We much prefer chicken thighs over breasts for fried chicken sandwiches: they are harder to dry out and have a much more “chicken-y” flavor.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Let’s be completely honest: this fried chicken sandwich is undeniably the very best immediately after it’s cooked. However, if you do have leftover chicken, hold off on prepping the rolls with condiments and veg. Store the fried chicken in the refrigerator and heat to 165F in an air fryer or a 350F oven. Continue with assembling the sandwich as you normally would.
What to Serve with this Recipe
Fried chicken sandwiches are a bit of a show-stopper (and a bit of work, TBH), so we like to keep our sides simple. Pair these sandwiches with a handful of super crunchy sea salt kettle-cooked chips and an ice-cold lemonade. If you’re feeling extra, a scoop of basic potato salad on the side checks all the boxes for that summer cook-out vibe.
Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
- 2 large or 3 medium-sized cucumbers
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
Bread & Toppings
- 4 ciabatta rolls*
- butter
- mayonnaise (full-fat preferred)
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 4 gem lettuce or butter leaf lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry
- bread and butter pickles (recipe included)
Fried Chicken
- 4-6 cups canola or vegetable oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs at room temperature**
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
- Slice cucumbers into 1/4" slices. Toss cucumbers with kosher salt, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour. Rinse salt off of cucumber slices with cold water and strain. Add onions to a medium-sized bowl with cucumbers and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine sugars, vinegars, mustard seeds, and celery seeds with a whisk. Heat over medium-high heat just until sugars are dissolved. Remove from heat and pour over cucumbers and onions. Let come to room temperature and refrigerate for 24 hours, stored in a mason jar or airtight container.
Bread & Toppings
- Remove the chicken from refrigerator to bring to room temperature, then prepare the bread and toppings for the fried chicken sandwich. Cut the ciabatta rolls in half, widthwise, spread cut side with butter, and toast on a griddle or nonstick fry pan over medium heat (you can also do this while the chicken is frying if you want the bread to be hot). Combine the sriracha and honey in a small ramekin and set aside. Have the mayo, pickles, and lettuce ready for each sandwich.
Fried Chicken
- In a large dutch oven or cast-iron skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees F (medium heat is usually sufficient). While the oil is coming to temperature, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt in one bowl. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, and several cranks of fresh cracked pepper. Set a cooling rack directly over a cookie sheet and place near the dutch oven.
- Using tongs, dip each chicken thigh first in the buttermilk mixture, and then in the flour mixture, coating the entire thigh with buttermilk and then with flour. For extra crispy chicken, do this process twice. Drop chicken (2 thighs at a time) in the 350-degree oil.
- Cook chicken until golden brown on both sides, turning once or twice while cooking. This may take anywhere from 4-6 minutes per side (8-12 minutes total), and will take slightly longer to cook if the chicken was double-dipped in the buttermilk/flour. Chicken is done cooking when it reaches 165 F internally and the exterior is a deep golden brown on top and bottom. Remove from hot oil with tongs and place on cooling rack. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with kosher salt or sea salt immediately.
Fried Chicken Sandwich Assembly
- To assemble the sandwiches, first spread the insides of the ciabatta roll with a generous pat of mayo. Then to the bottom half, add 1/2 Tablespoon or more of the sriracha honey and spread. Add lettuce, homemade pickles, fried chicken, and finish with the top half of the roll. Serve immediately.
Equipment
- Deep fry thermometer
- Instant read thermometer
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @femalefoodie so we can see what you’re cooking!
Marsha naegle
The best chicken sandwich on the planet! All the effort is worth it! Don’t forget the pickles!!
Brooke Eliason
Thank you so much Marsha! ♥
Carlie
I’ve made this recipe several times now, and it is sooo good! I made it for a big family gathering and everyone loved it. My favorite chicken sandwich!
Brooke Eliason
Sounds like the BEST kind of family gathering. Thanks so much Carlie!
Annalissa Rausch
I love this chicken sandwich! So much better than any restaurant sandwich I’ve had. The chicken is crunchy good, the sauce is tangy and sweet and the cucumbers add so much! Highly recommend making this!
Brooke Eliason
Thanks so much Annalissa! Happy cooking. 🙂
Camille
Made this for a big family Sunday dinner. It was a hit! I chanced it and cooked the chicken thighs in the air fryer and it worked great (just don’t overcrowd). Make extra pickles-they’re so so good!
Brooke Eliason
Thanks so much Camille- so glad that it was a hit!
Olivia
My husband said it was one of the best fried chicken sandwiches he’s ever had. And if you’re in Utah that’s up against pretty bird and love bird. Try honey sriracha sauce along with the bread and butter pickles makes the whole sandwich. I don’t usually like bread and butter pickles but these….. I can just sit and eat. A great chicken sandwich I will make again and again!
Brooke Eliason
HUGE compliment- thank you so so much Olivia!
Tara
Hands down, best chicken sandwich ever!!! Great job with this recipe Brooke!!
Brooke Eliason
Thank you Tara! I appreciate it so much. ♥