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This fried chicken sandwich is the perfect blend of crispy and juicy chicken, a spicy glaze with just the right amount of kick, and crunchy butter pickles. It’s so easy to get deliciously crunchy fried chicken at home, and best of all, it tastes BETTER than take out!
The Inspiration For This Chicken Sandwich
The other day, my brother asked if I’ve tried the new Burger King crispy chicken sandwich. Food is always a topic of conversation for us, and he knew ANY fried chicken sandwich would pique my interest. The Ch’King, it’s called. THE WHAT? Ridiculous name aside, I was intrigued of course. To pretty much nobody’s surprise, I ran out to get one on my lunch break because I leave no bun unturned when it comes to a fried chicken sandwich.
I got the spicy version (as I was advised to do), and it was a delightful surprise. It had a spicy glaze on the chicken (although not enough, frankly), decently sized pickles (for a fast-food chain), and a tangy mayonnaise sauce. BK has decided to enter the fried chicken sandwich wars, and I’m not mad about it! I got another two days later because, you know, research.
What’s in the Spicy Chicken Sandwich?
I did some reading on the Ch’King, and I knew a few things to be true. The chicken was made with chicken breast, they use potato buns, and I’m pretty sure the mayonnaise spread is just mayo laced with some mustard.
The glaze was a little harder to pinpoint. It seems the spicy glaze is similar to a Nashville-style fried chicken sandwich, which involves taking the frying oil and combining it with spices to top the sandwich afterward. After playing around with the spice mixture, I feel my version has just the right amount of kick, and I don’t skimp on the glaze like they do at old BK.
How to Prepare the Chicken
I used chicken breast here that’s been pounded so it’s an even thickness. Each sandwich gets half a chicken breast. I also scored the chicken to ensure the seasoning and buttermilk can better penetrate the meat. It also results in more surface area for the coating to adhere resulting in more crunchy bits. Crunchy bits = good. Since the meat is fairly thin, you can get away with letting it sit in the buttermilk for an hour. However, letting it marinate in buttermilk for 4-8 hours is ideal.
How to Get a Crunchy Coating
For the flour, I dredged the chicken in a 50/50 mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. This is the perfect ratio to ensure your chicken is extra crunchy. The chicken also gets double dipped in the buttermilk and the flour mixture because CRUNCH. It’s all about that crunch, baby.
The Spicy Glaze
Ah, the star of the show is this spicy glaze. It took a few attempts to get the glaze right as it tastes a lot stronger straight from the bowl than it does after you brush it on the chicken. It really needs an extra punch otherwise the flavor gets lost. This recipe uses a good amount of cayenne pepper, but feel free to adjust to your preferred spice level (knowing that the spice tones down significantly after you add it to the chicken). This is not “in your face” spicy but more of a tingly slow burn.
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Fried Chicken Sandwich (Spicy!)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1.5 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- oil for frying (enough to fill pan with one inch of oil)
For the dredge
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For the spicy glaze
- 3 tablespoons ground cayenne
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For the sandwich
- 4 potato buns
- 8 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 12 butter pickles
Instructions
- Layout one chicken breast on a cutting board and place plastic wrap on top. Using something heavy (e.g. a meat pounder, rolling pin, or wine bottle) pound the chicken so it is an even thickness. Chicken should be about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat this with the other chicken breast.
- Cut the chicken in half. Lightly score the chicken, being careful not to cut all the way through. This will create more surface area for flour coating.
- Place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add the marinade ingredients: buttermilk, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Mix together, cover the bowl, and place in fridge to marinate for at least one hour (4-8 hours is ideal).
- After the chicken has marinated, take the bowl out of the fridge and set it aside. On a plate or shallow bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dredge and mix together.
- Heat about one inch of oil in a cast-iron or large pan over medium heat. Let the oil heat to about 375 degrees F as you dredge the chicken.
- Take one piece of chicken and pat dry (reserving the marinade). Put the chicken into the flour mixture and coat well. Pat off the excess and dip back into the buttermilk. Finally, place the chicken back into the flour mixture and set it aside. Repeat with the other three chicken pieces.
- Test the oil by putting a little flour into the pan. It should sizzle right away but not burn. Slowly place the chicken pieces into the frying oil. Fry in batches until cooked and golden brown on the outside, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Turn off heat and leave the oil in the pan when finished.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the spicy glaze. Take 1/2 cup of cooking oil from the frying pan (be careful as it's likely still hot), and pour it over the spicy glaze mixture. Mix together with a spoon and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard. Set aside.
- Begin assembling the sandwiches. Separate the buns and toast in the oven or over a pan for about 2 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Smear the mayonnaise mixture on each bun. Then add fried chicken and brush on spicy glaze. Top with three pickles. Repeat for each sandwich. Enjoy!
I love fried chicken sandwiches. I have never made my own but I would love to make it.
This looks great! I might go easy on the spicy glaze, but definitely will try it! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, you can definitely adjust the spice level. I think it gives just the right amount of kick (of course, my husband wanted more spice!)
All I got to say is yummy
Love fried chicken sandwiches. And this one looks and sounds amazing!