Ingredients: Two 12-oz chicken breasts, halved,4 brioche buns,4 slices American cheese,1 c cole slaw,1 Tbsp butter,Vegetable oil for frying,1-1/2 c buttermilk,1 Tbsp hot sauce,1 tsp paprika,1 tsp onion powder,1 tsp garlic powder,1 tsp kosher salt,1 tsp black pepper,1-1/2 c all-purpose flour,2 Tbsp paprika,1 tsp baking powder,1 tsp cayenne pepper,1 tsp oregano
Instructions:
- Place the chicken on a large cutting board and dry them with a paper towel.
- Next, place plastic wrap over the chicken breast and, using a rolling pin, start pounding the thickest part of the breast, working your way around until you achieve an even thickness (about ½”). You’ll also end up with a larger piece of meat.
- Cut in half (each 12-oz chicken breast will result in two 6-oz crispy fried chicken sandwiches).
- Season the chicken breasts with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the buttermilk into a mixing bowl and add the hot sauce. Stir.
- Add the seasoned chicken to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of two hours, ideally overnight.
- Important: Make sure to remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before dredging and frying them. Once I forgot and went ahead anyway. The result was as expected. When the chicken was perfectly fried on the outside, the internal temperature of the chicken was at a paltry 130°F. By the time it reached 160°F, the outside didn’t look so golden crispy anymore.
- In a mixing bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, paprika, baking powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Mix well. Do not dredge the chicken yet. Instead, wait until the oil is ready (see next step).
- In a large enough frying pan to accommodate at least two halved chicken breasts, add enough oil to cover the bottom about ¾” deep.
- Carefully bring the temperature up to 350°F, checking with an instant-read thermometer.
- Once your oil reaches 350°F, lift a piece of chicken from the buttermilk and allow the excess to drip off a little, then place it in the flour and spice mixture. This dry mix must reach every nook and cranny of the meat to achieve a perfect crispy outside. Use your fingers to coat the chicken breast evenly. Gently shake off the excess batter and carefully lower it into the hot oil.
- Fry for about four minutes, turn, and fry for another four minutes. Use your instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 160°F.
- In the meantime, have a cooling rack ready with a paper towel underneath. Once the chicken is at 160°F, remove with tongs and place on the cooling rack.
- While the fried crispy chicken is resting on the cooling rack, butter up some brioche buns, add a slice of American cheese, and lightly toast in the toaster oven.
- Remove, add some coleslaw and a piece of chicken breast. Enjoy!
