Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich
This spicy, crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich is made of golden-fried chicken stacked on a buttery brioche bun, piled high with shredded lettuce, pickles and a heavy drizzle of homemade ranch!
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 1041kcal
Ingredients
Crispy Spicy Buttermilk Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs or 1-inch thick chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 and ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup hot sauce Louisiana style
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 3 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. ground mustard
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 and ½ cups canola oil for frying
Buttermilk Ranch Sauce
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ⅛ tsp. dried mustard
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh chives chopped
- pinch salt and pepper
Additional Ingredients
- 4 brioche buns buttered and grilled on the flat side
- iceberg lettuce shredded
- dill pickle chips
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade by whisking together the hot sauce, buttermilk and ground mustard in a medium-sized bowl. Set the marinade aside.
- Place the chicken thighs or breasts in a casserole dish, and pour the buttermilk mixture over them. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours, or overnight.
- Prepare the buttermilk-ranch sauce by whisking together all of the sauce's wet ingredients with the dry seasonings. Stir in the fresh chives and dill. Set aside, or chill in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the seasoned coating by whisking together the flour, cornstarch and dry seasonings in a large bowl.
- Pre-heat the oil to 350°F in a deep-sided dutch oven or large cast iron skillet.
- Remove the chicken from marinade, shake off any excess marinade and set the chicken aside. Add 1 egg to the bowl of leftover marinade and whisk until the egg is fully disbursed.
- Dredge each chicken breast/thigh in the seasoned flour, dip once more in the marinade and let the excess marinade drip off, then dredge in flour again.
- Drop each breast/thigh in the hot oil and fry for 15-18 minutes. You can fry all 4 pieces of chicken in the same batch. Use a digital meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the chicken. The temperature needs to register at 170°F for thighs and 165°F for breasts.
- Assemble the sandwiches in this order: Bottom bun, a thin layer of ranch, a few pickle chips, crispy chicken, another spoonful of ranch, shredded iceberg, a few more pickle chips, top bun.
Notes
- It's always best to use a meat thermometer to take the guesswork out of frying chicken. Chicken breast should reach an internal temperature of 165°F and thigh meat should reach 170°F.
- Grill the cut sides of the buns for just a few seconds before assembling the sandwiches.
- Store leftover chicken in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, the ranch dressing will keep for about a week.
- Air fryer - place the dredged chicken in the air fryer basket and spray with a little bit of cooking spray. Air fry at 370°F for about 20 full minutes, make sure to flip the chicken half way through.
- Bake in the oven on a greased metal baking sheet at 425°F for 25 minutes. Spray the tops with cooking spray.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 sandwich | Calories: 1041kcal | Carbohydrates: 112g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 328mg | Sodium: 2788mg | Potassium: 879mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5290IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 7mg