Winner-Winner
As the saying goes. Yes, chicken is what’s for dinner and this crispy, crunchy loaded chicken sandwich will not disappoint your discerning crowd. It has some kick from my spicy aioli sauce made with Calabrian chilis and honey. And, it has crunch for days from the crispy double breading to the apple-cabbage slaw and house made pickles. That all stacked up on a lightly toasted brioche bun and you are the winner of this dinner. Trust me my friends, it’s a must try.
Sauce Me
There are few steps to this winning chicken sandwich so let’s break down into manageable chunks of time. First, the sauce. It’s quick and easy and comes together in minutes. Plus, it can be made a day ahead. And make extra. It’s great on any sandwich. In fact, it’s so good I’ve dedicated a whole page to it. Here’s the link and I’ll include the recipe below as well. Why is it so good? It’s combination of heat from the Calabrian peppers (fruity & smokey) with a touch of honey, creamy mayo, and lemon juice. In a word – balance.
Homemade Pickles
These homemade pickles are sinch to make and I like to make my own so I can determine how spicy I want them. Although if you do have a favorite brand of good quality pickles with lots of fresh herbs in them (like Grillo which comes in dill or hot) then this is one step I’d even consider skipping over.
BUT…if you’ve never made your own pickles before then try it! It’s fun and they last for days so again it’s a do-ahead step. Goes great on other sandwiches and burgers, too.
Apple-Cabbage Slaw
To add more crunch and a fresh layer to our crispy chicken sandwich I’ve opted for an apple and green cabbage slaw. I used both red and green apples for a contrast of tart and sweet and then a basic coleslaw base made with mayonnaise, vinegar, a pinch of sugar and, of course, salt and pepper. I squeeze in some lemon juice and fresh chopped chives at the end, give it a toss, and it’s done. Like our other components this part can also be made at least a few hours ahead of time.
How to Get that Crispy Chicken
Okay, now that we’ve covered all the fixings that top this crispy chicken sandwich let’s get down to the most important part – the sandwich. Two things make this one of the best chicken sandwiches you’ll ever taste. One, the crispy breading with lots of flavor. And two, is that it remains juicy while the outside has that crunch you crave. No dry chicken here please and thank you.
Brine Away
To get any piece of meat without a lot of fat on it to remain tender and juicy during the cooking process starting with a brine is a great way to go. I made a very simple brine using ingredients that we are using anyway – buttermilk, pickle juice from our pickled cucumbers, hot sauce and salt. Submerge your chicken in that mixture and let it sit covered in the fridge for a couple of hours. Drain, rinse and pat dry before you dredge.
Also, I used chicken cutlets that were already sliced in half for me. If you have a full-sized chicken breast or half breast, then you can either pound it thinner with a mallet or slice in half to achieve a thinner breast. This helps it cook more evenly.
Crispy Chicken Sandwich Breading
And the final step to achieving the most amazing crispy chicken sandwich is the breading. It’s two dishes, one with buttermilk and an egg. The other dish has flour with some cornstarch mixed in which is key for the crispy texture and lots of dried spices for flavor.
The real secret for the ultimate crispy chicken sandwich is to dredge in both the egg/buttermilk mixture and flour mixture twice. Shake off any excess in between the dredging so you get a thick layer that actually sticks to the meat and will crisp up nice and crunchy in the pan. I like to get the chicken crispy on both sides and then finish it in the oven so you can control the brownness of the crunchy layer. This gives you time to lightly toast your brioche rolls as well.
Crispy Chicken Sandwich:
- 4 chicken breasts (halved or cutlets)
- 4 brioche rolls
- 2 cups buttermilk approximately (divided)
- Dash of hot sauce
- Pickle juice/brine
- 1 egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2-3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2-3 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Olive oil or canola oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon butter for browning brioche rolls (optional)
- Spicy sauce (get recipe here)
- Pickled cucumbers (see below) or use storebought
- Apple cabbage slaw (see below)
Crispy Chicken Sandwich Method:
- In a large bowl add the chicken cutlets and add in buttermilk to just cover them. Then add a few dashes of hot sauce and about 1/2 cup or so of the vinegar base and herbs from the pickled cucumbers or jarred cucumbers. Add a little salt and pepper then cover and refrigerate for several hours.
- Remove chicken from fridge, drain and discard brining solution and pat dry.
- In one medium bowl combine 1 egg and about 1/2 of buttermilk. Whisk to combine. In another shallow bowl add the flour, corn starch, spices and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Dredge the chicken in the egg and buttermilk mixture and shake off any excess then place in the flour mixture. Again, shake off any excess and then repeat once again until you have a thick, even coating on each breast. Set on a plate and continue breading remaining chicken cutlets.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and have a wire rack ready. In a heavy skillet add some oil and brown chicken on both sides then place in preheated oven for another 5 minutes or so depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. You don’t want to overcook. Remove to wire rack to cool slightly and drain.
- Melt butter and a little olive oil in a pan and place buns cut side down to lightly toast for 2-3 minutes. Remove and assemble.
- Slather bread with spicy sauce, top with chicken, apple-cabbage slaw, more sauce and cucumbers and serve.
Pickled Cucumbers
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- ½ cup cool water
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- ¼ – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 bay leaf
Pickled Cucumber Method:
- Combine vinegar, sugar, water, and salt in a wide-mouthed mason jar and whisk vigorously to combine until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add in the pepper flakes and and peppercorns and then fill the mixture with the sliced cucumbers.
- Top jar with dill, garlic and bay leaf. Place the lid on and give it few shakes to combine. Set in fridge for at least one hour and up to a week.
*Store bought alternative Grillo’s Pickles Dill or Wickles Pickles
Apple Cabbage Slaw:
- 1/2 head green cabbage
- 1 red apple
- 1 green apple
- 3/4 cup mayonaise
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup scallions or chives
- Salt & pepper to taste
Apple Cabbage Slaw Method:
- In a large bowl whisk together the maynoaise, with the apple cider vinegar and sugar and a little salt and pepper. This is the base of the slaw.
- Cut the apples into cubes and cut the cabbage into bit-sized shreds. Add to the bowl with mayonnaise mixture and toss with tongs until well combined. Now add in the lemon juice and chives. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
