Crispy Chicken Sandwich
This Ultimate Crispy Chicken Sandwich features a crispy exterior, juicy chicken interior, and simple fresh toppings, all ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Marinating Ingredients
- 2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts Halve or pound if very thick
- 1 cup buttermilk Substitute: 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar, let sit 5 minutes
Coating Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour Or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- as needed tablespoons vegetable oil For frying; neutral oil with a high smoke point
Assembly
- 4 pieces hamburger buns
- as needed leaves lettuce
- 1 piece tomato Sliced
- as needed pieces pickles
Instructions
Marinating
- Place the chicken breasts in a bowl and pour over the buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight).
Coating
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Remove each chicken breast from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then press into the flour mixture to coat well. Shake off excess flour.
Frying
- Pour about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil into a large frying pan and heat over medium until shimmering (about 350°F/175°C if using a thermometer).
- Place the coated breasts in the hot oil. Fry until a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), about 5–7 minutes per side depending on thickness.
- Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain and stay crisp for a couple of minutes.
Assembly
- Toast the buns lightly, then assemble in this order: bun, fried chicken, lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, top bun.
Serving
- Serve immediately while hot and crunchy.
Notes
For extra crunch, mix in 1/2 cup panko with the flour. If you prefer dark meat, boneless thighs work better when frying.