Fried Chicken Sandwich {Crispy} – Two Peas & Their Pod

Quick Summary

Fried Chicken Sandwich- crispy fried chicken on a buttery bun with special sauce, cabbage slaw, and pickles. Restaurant quality, but easy to make at home!

If you like fried chicken, you are going to LOVE today’s recipe. Josh’s Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe is easy to make at home and better than any sandwich you can buy at a restaurant.

Crispy, juicy, perfectly spiced fried chicken on a toasted, buttery bun with a creamy sauce, refreshing slaw, and sweet pickles. Is your mouth watering yet?

All of the flavors are stacked and sandwiched to make one incredible meal! My boys say this is one of the best recipes we’ve ever made, so you better try it! I know it will be a favorite!

Key Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken thighs– use thighs instead of breasts for this recipe. They are extra juicy and full of flavor.
Buttermilk– for marinating the chicken. It will make the chicken super tender and juicy!
Siracha– to add a little heat.
Vegetable oil– for frying the chicken. If you don’t have a peanut allergy, you can use peanut oil.
Flour– for coating the chicken.
Cornstarch– helps prevent gluten development and absorbs moisture, which will make the coating extra crispy!
Baking powder– baking powder draws moisture to the surface where it can evaporate, which helps get the chicken super crispy. Can you tell we are all about crispy chicken?
Spices– smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder for the best flavor!

Special Equipment

Here are a few kitchen items that will make the frying process easier.

Meat tenderizer– to pound out the chicken. You can also use a rolling pin.
Frying thermometer– you don’t have to use a thermometer, but it is helpful to make sure your oil is hot enough and not too hot.
Dutch oven– we like using a Dutch oven because the oil doesn’t splatter out.
Spider– use a spider to easily lift the chicken out of the hot oil.

Frying the Chicken

Don’t be afraid of frying, it really is easy. If you have a fan in your kitchen hood, I do recommend turning it on to help remove some of the odor and grease. Ok, let’s do this!

Use a knife to trim any membranes or fat off the chicken. Place the chicken thighs, one at a time, in a plastic freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. Pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
With a sharp knife, cut the pounded chicken In half. If the pieces are too large to fit a bun, you can trim off the ends. Josh likes to cook the smaller pieces to make chicken nuggets for the boys. We don’t want to waste any of the delicious chicken.
Put all the pounded chicken in the bag and add the buttermilk, Siracha, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or overnight. The longer it sits the juicier the chicken will be.
Pour the oil in a Dutch oven or high-sided pot. The oil should be about 1-inch deep. Heat the oil over medium high heat until shimmering, about 350 degrees F. Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, spices, and remaining salt and pepper.
Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off and dip it into the flour mixture, turning a few times and pressing firmly so the flour sticks to the chicken. Set aside on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
Carefully place the breaded chicken into the hot oil, without crowding the pan. I recommend doing 2 pieces at a time. You don’t want to over crowd the pan.
Cook turning a few times, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes total.
Place the cooked chicken on the paper towel lined plate and continue frying the other pieces of chicken. Make sure the oil doesn’t get too hot or cool down, adjust temperature if necessary.

Secret Sauce & Slaw

We like to whip up a special sauce to serve with the fried chicken. The sauce is made with a few simple ingredients: mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, and Siracha, for a little kick. If you don’t like spicy, you can leave it out or just use a tiny bit. My boys LOVE this sauce!

Of course, you can use whatever sauce you like. A few other ideas include: honey mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, or a drizzle of hot honey.

To freshen things up, we like to add a simple cabbage slaw. In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar and honey. Drizzle over purple cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Use tongs to toss until well combined.

Assembling the Sandwiches

To assemble the sandwiches, spread some of the sauce on the inside of the toasted buns. Top the bottom bun with a piece of fried chicken. Top with slaw and a few pickles. Close the sandwich with the top bun and take a BIG bite. You will be in heaven!

Serving Suggestions

Here are a few sides that go well with fried chicken sandwiches.

fried chicken sandwich with sauce, cabbage slaw, and pickles

More Chicken Recipes

Chicken

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Crispy fried chicken on a buttery bun with special sauce, cabbage slaw, and pickles. Restaurant quality, but easy to make at home!

For the chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon Siracha
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
4 to 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 to 3 teaspoons Siracha, optional

For the slaw:

3 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot honey or regular honey
Salt and pepper, to taste

Assembly:

4 hamburger buns
Softened butter for spreading on buns
Pickles optional

Use a knife to trim any membranes or fat off the chicken. Place the chicken thighs, one at a time, in a plastic freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. Pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin or meat mallet. With a sharp knife, cut the pounded chicken In half. If the pieces are too large to fit a bun, you can trim off the ends. You can cook the smaller pieces to make chicken nuggets.
Put all the pounded chicken in the bag and add the buttermilk, Siracha, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
Pour the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or high-sided pot. The oil should be about 1-inch deep. Heat the oil over medium high heat until shimmering, about 350 degrees F. Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off and dip it into the flour mixture, turning a few times and pressing firmly so the flour sticks to the chicken. Set aside on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
Carefully place the breaded chicken into the hot oil, without crowding the pan. I recommend doing 2 pieces at a time. Cook turning a few times, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes total.
Place the cooked chicken on the paper towel lined plate and continue frying the other pieces of chicken. Make sure the oil doesn’t get too hot or cool down, adjust temperature if necessary.
To make the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, and Siracha, if using.
To make the slaw, place the cabbage in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and honey. Drizzle over the cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Use tongs to toss until well combined.
To toast the buns, spread butter on the inside of the buns. Place under the broiler for 2 minutes or until light golden brown. Don’t walk away, watch them closely.
Assemble the sandwiches: Spread some of the sauce on the inside of the toasted buns. Top the bottom bun with a piece of fried chicken. Top with slaw and a few pickles, if desired. Close the sandwich with the top bun and serve immediately.

Calories: 643kcal, Carbohydrates: 82g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 126mg, Sodium: 1234mg, Potassium: 903mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 1180IU, Vitamin C: 40mg, Calcium: 291mg, Iron: 6mg