Description

This delicious fried chicken sandwich features juicy, buttermilk-marinated chicken thighs fried to crispy perfection, topped with a spicy aioli made from mayonnaise, garlic, hot sauce, and balsamic glaze. Served on buttery brioche buns with pickles and lettuce, this sandwich is easy to customize with your favorite toppings and can be made gluten free.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken Marinade and Coating

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
1 cup potato starch (use as needed, or substitute with cornstarch or a mix of cornstarch and flour)
Oil for deep frying

Spicy Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise (store-bought or homemade)
3 garlic cloves (black garlic preferred)
3 tbsp hot sauce
2 tbsp balsamic glaze (or balsamic vinegar as alternative)
1 tbsp whole grain mustard

Assembly

4 brioche burger buns (or any burger bun, gluten free alternative optional)
Pickles
Lettuce (or optional tomatoes or cheese)

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Instructions

Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, ¼ cup 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 4 hours or overnight for best results.
Prepare the Spicy Aioli: In a blender or using a mortar and pestle, blend the garlic cloves until finely minced. Mix the minced garlic with mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons hot sauce, balsamic glaze, and whole grain mustard until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Coat the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Coat each piece evenly with potato starch, shaking off any excess. Use more starch if needed to get a crispy crust while frying.
Heat the Oil: In a deep fryer or large pot, heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Ensure there is enough oil to submerge the chicken pieces completely.
Fry the Chicken: Carefully lower the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil, frying in batches if necessary. Fry for about 8-10 minutes or until the exterior is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove and drain on paper towels.
Toast the Buns: Lightly toast the brioche buns in a skillet or oven until golden and slightly crisp.
Assemble the Sandwich: Spread a generous amount of spicy aioli on the bottom half of each bun. Add lettuce and pickles, followed by the hot fried chicken. Add optional toppings like tomato or cheese if desired. Top with the other half of the bun.
Serve: Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and crispy for the best flavor and texture.

Notes

For gluten free version, use gluten free burger buns and potato starch or cornstarch for coating.
Black garlic in the aioli adds sweetness and depth but regular garlic works well.
You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts but thighs yield juicier results.
Adjust hot sauce quantity in marinade and aioli for preferred spice level.
Use a thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked safely to 165°F internally.
For a less greasy sandwich, pat chicken dry thoroughly before coating and do not overcrowd frying oil.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 sandwich
Calories: 438 kcal
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 1432 mg
Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 60 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 10 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg