Pickle Brined Fried Chicken Sandwich (Printable)
Crispy chicken marinated in tangy pickle brine, served on toasted buns with fresh toppings and zesty mayo-mustard sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 1 cup dill pickle brine
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
→ Breading
04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ For Frying
12 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying (about 4 cups)
→ Sandwich Assembly
13 - 4 brioche or potato buns
14 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
15 - 8 dill pickle slices
16 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
17 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
# How To Make:
01 - Combine chicken, pickle brine, and hot sauce in a resealable bag or bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to 350°F.
03 - In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Remove chicken from brine, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing to coat on all sides.
05 - Fry chicken pieces in batches for 5–7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
06 - Mix mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in a small bowl until smooth.
07 - Lightly toast the buns. Spread mayo-mustard sauce on both halves. Layer fried chicken, shredded lettuce, and pickle slices on the bottom bun. Top with remaining bun half and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pickle brine transforms ordinary chicken into something impossibly juicy with this subtle tang that makes people pause and say wait whats different about this
- The cornstarch in the breading creates this shattering crisp shell that stays crunchy even after the sauce hits it
02 -
- Letting the chicken rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels keeps that crunch intact instead of getting soggy underneath
- The brine time is non negotiable, anything under an hour and you might as well skip this whole method
03 -
- Double dredge the chicken by dipping it back into the brine then flour again for extra thick craggy coating
- Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on the chicken the second it comes out of the oil