Buffalo Pickle-Brined Fried Chicken Sandwiches
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on December 21, 2022
Time
1 hour, plus 6½ hours brining and chilling
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Celery Topping
4 celery ribs, sliced thin2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)¼ cup mayonnaiseChicken Sandwiches
4 (3- to 5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed1¼ cups kosher dill pickle brine, divided8 sprigs fresh dill, plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, divided6 garlic cloves, smashed5 teaspoons dry mustard, divided5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided5 teaspoons pepper, divided1¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup cornstarch 2 teaspoons granulated garlic 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 cups vegetable oil for frying½ cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted4 hamburger buns ¼ cup celery leavesBefore You Begin
A 24-ounce jar of dill pickles is large enough to yield the 1¼ cups brine needed for this recipe.
Instructions
- Combine celery, blue cheese, and mayonnaise in bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Topping can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
- Combine chicken, 1 cup pickle brine, dill sprigs, smashed garlic, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Whisk flour, cornstarch, granulated garlic, baking powder, minced dill, remaining 2 teaspoons mustard, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons pepper together in second bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup pickle brine to flour mixture and rub between your fingerss until tiny craggy bits form throughout.
- Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, remove chicken from brine and transfer to flour mixture. Using your hands, toss chicken in flour mixture, pressing on coating to adhere and breaking up clumps, until coated on all sides. Transfer chicken to prepared wire rack. Discard brine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Carefully add chicken and fry until chicken is golden brown and registers at least 175 degrees, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through frying. (Adjust heat as needed to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.) Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined plate.
- Combine hot sauce and melted butter in medium bowl. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, add to bowl with hot-sauce mixture and toss to coat. Place chicken on bun bottoms, then top with celery topping, celery leaves, and bun tops. Serve.
for the celery topping
for the chicken sandwiches
Time
1 hour, plus 6½ hours brining and chillingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Celery Topping
4 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup mayonnaise
Chicken Sandwiches
4 (3- to 5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1¼ cups kosher dill pickle brine, divided
8 sprigs fresh dill, plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, divided
6 garlic cloves, smashed
5 teaspoons dry mustard, divided
5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
5 teaspoons pepper, divided
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
½ cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 hamburger buns
¼ cup celery leaves
Ingredients
Celery Topping
4 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup mayonnaise
Chicken Sandwiches
4 (3- to 5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1¼ cups kosher dill pickle brine, divided
8 sprigs fresh dill, plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, divided
6 garlic cloves, smashed
5 teaspoons dry mustard, divided
5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
5 teaspoons pepper, divided
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
½ cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 hamburger buns
¼ cup celery leaves
Ingredients
Celery Topping
4 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup mayonnaise
Chicken Sandwiches
4 (3- to 5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1¼ cups kosher dill pickle brine, divided
8 sprigs fresh dill, plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, divided
6 garlic cloves, smashed
5 teaspoons dry mustard, divided
5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
5 teaspoons pepper, divided
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
½ cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 hamburger buns
¼ cup celery leaves
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted a fried chicken sandwich where pickle juice was front and center. Adding brine in two separate stages achieved this. We started by soaking boneless thighs in pickle juice fortified with fresh dill, garlic, and dry mustard. Then we dredged the thighs in a seasoned flour dredge. We added a little pickle brine to the flour mixture for more pickle flavor and to create bits that would fry up craggy and crisp. We refrigerated the breaded thighs to help the coating stay on during frying. Just 10 minutes in the oil resulted in crispy, golden-brown chicken. To create a classic spicy buffalo version, we coated the fried chicken with a simple combination of Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce and melted unsalted butter. Thinly sliced celery, crumbled blue cheese, and mayonnaise tossed together provided a fresh and creamy finish.
Before You Begin
A 24-ounce jar of dill pickles is large enough to yield the 1¼ cups brine needed for this recipe.
Instructions
- Combine celery, blue cheese, and mayonnaise in bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Topping can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
- Combine chicken, 1 cup pickle brine, dill sprigs, smashed garlic, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Whisk flour, cornstarch, granulated garlic, baking powder, minced dill, remaining 2 teaspoons mustard, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons pepper together in second bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup pickle brine to flour mixture and rub between your fingerss until tiny craggy bits form throughout.
- Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, remove chicken from brine and transfer to flour mixture. Using your hands, toss chicken in flour mixture, pressing on coating to adhere and breaking up clumps, until coated on all sides. Transfer chicken to prepared wire rack. Discard brine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Carefully add chicken and fry until chicken is golden brown and registers at least 175 degrees, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through frying. (Adjust heat as needed to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.) Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined plate.
- Combine hot sauce and melted butter in medium bowl. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, add to bowl with hot-sauce mixture and toss to coat. Place chicken on bun bottoms, then top with celery topping, celery leaves, and bun tops. Serve.
for the celery topping
for the chicken sandwiches
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