Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (Printer-friendly)
Juicy buffalo chicken with crispy coating, tangy sauce, and cool ranch slaw on toasted brioche.
# What You Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
08 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour (about 6.5 oz)
09 - Vegetable oil, for frying
→ For the Buffalo Sauce
10 - ½ cup hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
11 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
12 - 1 tablespoon honey
→ For the Ranch Slaw
13 - 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
14 - 1 cup shredded carrots
15 - ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
16 - ⅓ cup ranch dressing
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ To Assemble
19 - 4 brioche buns, split and toasted
20 - 4 lettuce leaves
21 - Sliced dill pickles (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ½-inch thickness. In a bowl, combine buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken, cover, and marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours refrigerated.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, red onion, ranch dressing, and dill. Toss well to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together hot sauce, melted butter, and honey until smooth and fully incorporated. Set aside for coating.
04 - Place flour in a shallow bowl. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each piece in flour, pressing firmly to adhere coating. In a deep skillet or fryer, heat 2–3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Drain on paper towels.
05 - Dip each crispy chicken breast into the prepared buffalo sauce, turning to coat both sides evenly.
06 - Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of each toasted bun. Add a buffalo-coated chicken breast, followed by a generous scoop of ranch slaw. Add pickles if desired and crown with the top bun.
07 - Serve immediately while chicken is hot and crispy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The buttermilk marinade makes the chicken incredibly tender, almost like it spent hours at a restaurant prep station
- That ranch slaw cuts through the heat exactly when you need it most
- Everything comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you took all afternoon
02 -
- Letting the chicken rest for just 2 minutes after frying keeps it juicy without making the bun soggy
- The sauce goes on right before assembly, any earlier and you lose every bit of crunch you worked for
03 -
- Double bag the chicken when pounding, I have had too many plastic wrap failures mid pound
- Keep the finished chicken in a low oven at 100°C while you finish the batch, nobody should eat cold fried chicken