Description
A juicy, tangy fried chicken sandwich brined in pickle juice for extra flavor and crispiness, perfect for quick and delicious weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (~1 lb or 450 g), halved horizontally if needed
- 1 cup (240 ml) dill pickle juice (preferably with garlic and dill)
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (or milk with 1 tsp lemon juice as substitute)
- 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Sliced dill pickles for topping
- Soft brioche buns or potato rolls, lightly toasted
- Optional toppings: mayonnaise, spicy aioli, pepper jack or cheddar cheese slice
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a bowl or zip-top bag and pour 1 cup pickle juice over them. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- In one bowl, whisk together buttermilk and beaten eggs. In another bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Dip each chicken piece into the buttermilk-egg mixture, then dredge thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture. Repeat dipping and dredging once more for extra crispiness.
- Heat about 1 inch of vegetable or peanut oil in a skillet to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry chicken pieces in hot oil for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack over a baking sheet and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Toast buns lightly. Spread mayonnaise or aioli, add fried chicken, then top with sliced dill pickles and optional spicy honey or chili crisp if desired.
Notes
Brine chicken for 2-4 hours to avoid mushy texture. Maintain oil temperature at 350°F to prevent greasy or burnt crust. Double dredging yields extra crispy crust. Use wire rack to drain chicken to keep crust crisp. For gluten-free, substitute flour with almond or gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, replace buttermilk with almond or coconut milk plus apple cider vinegar and use egg substitutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 2-4 hours brining)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 550600
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Protein: 40
Keywords: fried chicken sandwich, pickle brined chicken, crispy fried chicken, homemade chicken sandwich, quick dinner, easy recipe