Description
A scrumptious and easy-to-make fried chicken sandwich featuring buttermilk-marinated, crispy fried chicken thighs, topped with a spicy aioli, pickles, and fresh lettuce, all sandwiched in a buttery brioche bun. This sandwich is gluten-free friendly and highly customizable with your favorite fillings.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 4 pieces chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
- 1½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Coating
- 1 cup potato starch (use as needed; can substitute with cornstarch or a mix of cornstarch and flour)
- Oil for deep frying
Spicy Aioli Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise (store-bought or homemade)
- 3 garlic cloves (black garlic preferred if available)
- 3 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic glaze (or balsamic vinegar as alternative)
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
Assembly
- 4 brioche burger buns (substitute with any burger bun or gluten-free alternative)
- Pickles
- Lettuce (optional: tomatoes or cheese)
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sugar, sea salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken thighs, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prepare Aioli Sauce: In a blender or using a mortar and pestle, crush garlic cloves until finely minced. Mix garlic with mayonnaise, hot sauce, balsamic glaze (or vinegar), and whole grain mustard until smooth. Refrigerate until assembly.
- Coat the Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade and allow excess to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in potato starch, pressing lightly to coat evenly.
- Heat Oil and Fry Chicken: Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy skillet to 350°F (175°C). Deep-fry coated chicken pieces until golden brown and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes per side depending on thickness. Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Drain on paper towels.
- Toast Buns: Lightly toast brioche buns in a dry skillet or oven until golden and slightly crisp on edges.
- Assemble Sandwich: Spread a generous amount of the spicy aioli on the bottom bun. Place fried chicken on top, add pickles and lettuce (or optional tomatoes/cheese), then cover with the top bun.
- Serve: Serve immediately while warm and crispy with your favorite side dishes or dipping sauces.
Notes
- Use potato starch for a crispier coating, or substitute with cornstarch or a mix of cornstarch and flour if potato starch is unavailable.
- Marinating chicken longer than 1 hour can improve tenderness and flavor but avoid exceeding 12 hours to prevent texture changes.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure buns and condiments are gluten-free.
- Customize your sandwich with additional toppings such as tomatoes, cheese, or different pickles to suit your taste.
- If black garlic is unavailable, regular garlic will work fine in the aioli.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 438 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1432 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
