Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich with Slaw and Spicy Aioli for Two
Yum
I was feeling sorry for myself because there are no Chik-Fil-A restaurants close to where I live now. When I lived in Florida I was a regular there and I was really starting to crave one, so I set out to find the best chicken sandwich recipe ever! I found it. This isn’t anything like the Chik-Fil-A sandwich though, it’s way better. I would even say that once you try this chicken sandwich you will measure every other chicken sandwich by this one! It’s a towering sandwich once all of its components are assembled on top of one another and just looking at it made me happy! 🙂
First, lets talk about the slaw. If you’ve been eating it on the side with your meal it’s time for a new rule: Slaw doesn’t go with the sandwich, it goes on the sandwich. This slaw isn’t mixed with heavy mayo either, it’s crunchy with a bright acidic kick that really balances the more fatty goodness of the meat and aioli.
Next we’ll talk about the chicken! It’s dredged in seasoned flour, then dipped in buttermilk and then back in the flour again. When you bite into this there is an audible crunch. There’s no sign of soggy breading here! The bread and butter pickles add the right sweet and tanginess to the aioli which is only slightly spicy…just enough to keep you wanting more. The bun is buttered and then grilled on a skillet to golden perfection! All of these parts add up to one unbelievably great chicken sandwich! I promise!
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot pepper sauce
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 to 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, depending on how hot you like it
- 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
- 1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickle slices, plus 1/8 cup pickle juice
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper, don't skimp!
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, if the are very thick then use just one and halve it crosswise.
- Peanut or vegetable oil (for frying)
- 2 white sandwich rolls
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- Mix garlic, mayonnaise, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl; cover and chill. Toss onion, jalapeño, cabbage, pickles, and pickle juice in a large bowl to combine; cover and chill.
- Whisk flour, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl. Pour buttermilk into another shallow bowl. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip in buttermilk, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Dredge again in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Pour oil into a large heavy skillet to a depth of 1/2". Prop deepfry thermometer in oil so bulb is submerged. Heat over medium heat until thermometer registers 350°F.
- Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet; season with salt. Spread cut sides of rolls with butter. Heat another large skillet over medium heat. Cook rolls buttered side down until browned and crisp, about 1 minute.
- Spread with spicy mayo. Build sandwiches with rolls, chicken, and cabbage slaw.
- If you have a deep fry thermometer use it to measure the temperature of the oil.
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