Twice-Dipped Fried Chicken Sandwich
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Chicken breasts pounded thin, then soaked in a spiced buttermilk brine with hot sauce and pickle juice. Twice-dredged in seasoned flour before frying at steady 350°F until deeply golden and 165°F inside. Toasted buttered buns topped with pickles and a zesty homemade sauce. Crunchy outside, juicy inside. Serves six servings. Roughly 50 minutes total time including prep and cook.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
50 min
Servings:
6 servings
#fried chicken
#southern cooking
#sandwich
#double dredge
#buttermilk brine
#crispy chicken
#homemade sauce
Fried chicken sandwiches work best when the meat is thin and tender yet stays juicy inside with a crust that crunches loud enough to hear across the room. Years of frying taught me that pounding chicken not just flattens but unlocks texture and tenderness — crucial for sandwich layering. A little secret I picked up was tossing in pickle juice with hot sauce into the buttermilk soak, adding brightness and a subtle tang. Twice-dipping the coating seals moisture, forms an unbeatable crust that resists sogginess. Watch your oil temp like a hawk — that consistent 350°F is non-negotiable or you get greasy or dried-out pieces. Toasting the buns with butter under a broiler adds extra crunch and flavor layers. And the sauce? A quick DIY mayo blend with Dijon and honey wakes up every bite with creamy, zippy heat. Forget one-dimensional sandwiches; this hits salty, spicy, sweet, and crunchy spot-on.
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce such as Franks
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 inches vegetable oil for frying (canola or peanut oil preferred)
- 6 brioche buns
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 6 dill pickle slices
- For sauce twist: mix 1/4 cup mayo, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, dash cayenne
About the ingredients
Meat mallet mandatory for even thickness—avoids dry edges. Buttermilk swaps okay if unavailable; use plain yogurt thinned with milk and a splash pickle juice. Pickle juice is flavor magic, adds tang and slight acidity—don’t skip. Hot sauce type flexible; Franks works well, Sriracha gives different heat profile. Flour seasoning is primary crunch flavor foundation; smoked paprika replaces original paprika for deeper notes. Oil must be neutral with high smoke point—canola or peanut preferred. Don’t use extra virgin olive oil, burns quick. For buns, brioche gives sweet fat balance, but plain hamburger buns or potato rolls can fill in. For sauce, swapped store-bought Chick-fil-a sauce with quick homemade version — mayo base with mustard, honey, cayenne; cheap, easy, tastier. Always soften butter before spreading to avoid tearing buns. Keep paper towels ready for draining fried pieces; essential to avoid oily sandwiches.
Method
- Start banging the chicken breasts between parchment paper sheets with a meat mallet until about half an inch thick. Maintain uneven edges for texture. Then slice breasts horizontally to get two smaller pieces for each.
- Whisk buttermilk with hot sauce and pickle juice in a bowl. Toss in chicken. Let it soak minimum 20 minutes; this tenderizes and builds flavor. Usually I leave it 25.
- While waiting, combine flour, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Shake well to avoid clumps—seasoning balance here is key for crunch and taste.
- Heat deep oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot; minimum depth 4 inches, ideally 6 to allow full submersion. I use peanut oil because of high smoke point and neutral taste. Bring temperature to a steady 350°F; takes about 18 minutes on medium-high heat. Use a candy thermometer for accuracy. Oil too hot scorches crust, too cool sucks oil inside making soggy chicken.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk bath, let excess drip off. Coat both sides in flour. Then dunk once again in buttermilk briskly, then back into flour for a double dredge. This layering locks in juiciness and guarantees crispy crust.
- Carefully lower one piece into hot oil. Should hear steady crackle — not frantic sputter. Fry around 5-6 minutes total, flipping halfway, until crust is a deep golden brown and an internal thermometer hits 165°F. Avoid crowding pot to keep temperature steady. If oil drops below 340°F, crust becomes greasy.
- Drain fried chicken on paper towels or used brown paper bags for oil absorption. Avoid stacking pieces; they steam and lose crispness.
- Meanwhile, prep buns. Cut and open each one, spread with softened butter. Lay them face-up on a rimmed sheet; broil 2-3 minutes on high until just toasted, edges crisped but not burnt. Watch closely, ovens vary.
- To serve, place couple dill pickle slices on bottom bun. Stack fried chicken, then slather a spoonful of zesty sauce — mayo mixed with Dijon, honey, and a pinch cayenne adds unexpected sweet-heat contrast. Crown with top bun.
- Best hot and freshly assembled; give napkins or wet wipes close by—oil and crispy crumb can be messy but worth every bite.
Cooking tips
Start pounding chicken for even thickness; uneven leads to uneven cook. Let chicken soak minimum 20 minutes in buttermilk mix, no skimping; the acid tenderizes and flavors penetrate. Flour mix needs good whisking to avoid clumps; uneven coating ruins crust texture. Heating oil takes patience — too fast heats oil unevenly, too slow drags timing. Use candy thermometer; check temp before dropping chicken every time. Double dredge is not extra work; it’s necessary for thick crust that holds juices and delivers crunch. Flip chicken gently mid-fry; avoid stabbing or pressing down which squeezes juices. Visual cues to fish out: crust deep golden, oil bubbles steady not wild, thermometer reading 165°F. Drain chicken on paper towel-lined plate; stacking causes steam and sog returns. Toast buns just before assembling; charred edges kill texture. Dark spots or black edges indicate over-broiling. Assemble sandwiches warm and quickly for best bite. Sauce is optional but recommended; can skip but changes flavor profile drastically. Keep sauce refrigerated if prepping ahead. Chicken can be held warm in low oven for short time, but reheating later toughens crust. Best eaten fresh for crispy-crunch and juicy center.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Pound chicken unevenly on purpose; thin center cooks fast but rough edges add chew texture. Use parchment to keep clean. Slicing breasts horizontally makes smaller pieces, quicker cook, better layering—don’t skip.
- 💡 Double dredge works magic. Flour then buttermilk then flour again seals juices. Skip double coat, crust turns blotchy or soggy. Use shallow dishes to move fast; avoid clumps by shaking seasoning well before flour.
- 💡 Pickle juice in buttermilk? Adds acidity, tang. Acid breaks down proteins, tenderizes deeper than buttermilk alone. Keep soak time 20 to 25 minutes max; too long turns chicken mushy, too short no juice lock.
- 💡 Oil temp steady at 350°F crucial. Too hot scorches crust fast, taste burnt. Too cool soaks oil in chicken, greasy mess. Use candy thermometer every batch. Oil type matters; peanut or canola has high smoke, neutral flavor. No EVOO, burns too fast.
- 💡 Watch sound when frying: steady crackle means right heat. Wild sputter means too hot. Flip gently or press, otherwise juices leak and dry meat. Use slotted spoon or spider, don’t crowd pan. Crowding drops temp, crust suffers.
- 💡 Toast buns under broiler quick—2 to 3 minutes tops. Spread softened butter so edges crisp but not blackened. Look for golden edges, not full brown. Charred bits taste bitter, bad contrast with sweet-salty sandwich.
- 💡 Sauce mix: mayo, Dijon, honey, cayenne dash. Skip mayo, sandwich feels dry really fast. Honey balances heat. Make fresh or store cold because honey can separate. Sauce adds creamy kick, cuts richness. Optional but highly advised.
- 💡 Drain fried pieces on paper towels or brown paper bags if no towels; avoid stacking to keep crisp. Stacking steams crust, turns soggy fast. Eat soon after frying or hold warm in low oven but crust softens if too long.
Common questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Thighs heavier fat, cook uneven. Pound thinner or butterfly if possible. Skin off messier crust but moister meat. Adjust frying time; thighs longer than breast halves usually.
What if no pickle juice?
Use plain yogurt thinned with a splash vinegar or lemon juice. Not exact but acid matters for tenderizing. Skip hot sauce if you want milder flavor; or swap with sriracha for heat shift.
Chicken crust soggy, why?
Usually oil too cool, crumbs soak oil. Or crowded pot drops temp mid-fry. Double dredge locks crust; skip it crust weaker. Drain on paper towels immediately; no stacking or moisture traps inside crust.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap cool chicken tightly; oven reheat preferred to keep crust crisp. Microwave makes crust mushy. Sauce separate – keep separate container. Buns toast again or use fresh for better crunch next day.
