Pickle-Brined Chicken Sandwich with Coleslaw and Red Onion
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus brine
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
A chicken sandwich is something I usually crave when I want fast food and I have always believed whatever I could make at home could never compare. I mean...skin crispiness and adhesion are really important and I don’t have those skills! I recently came across this recipe and was intrigued by the pickle element. I have pickle brine stored away that I saved from a Katz Deli gift box I received a few months back. I added this recipe to our weekly menu and Lee was happy to do the dangerous work of frying. We don’t have any fancy gadgets, just a skillet, which leaves me panicky when it is full of hot, burning oil. We opted to use breasts instead of thighs because I prefer them but you should probably trust Alexa on this one and also stick with dill pickle brine if you want full flavor. Half sour pickles are brined for less time and taste more like crunchy, fresh cucumbers.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 4 ounces each, thawed
20 dill pickle chips, divided (finely chop half)
1½ cups pickle brine (we used juice from half-sour Katz Deli pickles)
½ cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons capers, drained and chopped
coarse kosher salt and black pepper
¾ cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon onion powder
canola oil or other neutral oil, for frying, about 4 to 6 cups
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 soft buns, like brioche, split
1½ cups thinly sliced green cabbage
thinly sliced red onion, for serving (optional)
Old Bay or other hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Preparation
In a large resealable plastic bag, add chicken breasts and 1½ cups pickle brine and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
While the chicken is marinating, make the mayonnaise and coleslaw. Add the chopped pickle chips to a medium bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise and capers and season with salt and pepper.
Add sliced green cabbage to a medium bowl and toss with half of the pickle mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate slaw and mayonnaise until ready to use.
To cook the chicken, pour the buttermilk into a large, shallow bowl. In a separate large, shallow bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, onion powder, and 1 tablespoon each salt and pepper. This seems like a lot of salt but don’t worry!
In a deep cast-iron skillet, add 2 inches of oil and turn heat to medium-high, heating the oil to 325° degrees, about 5 minutes.
Take one piece of chicken from the brine and transfer it to buttermilk. Turn to coat it and lift chicken from the buttermilk so excess liquid drips off. Place it in the flour mixture and turn to coat. Pat a little flour mixture over the top to ensure the chicken is well coated. Transfer to a plate and repeat these steps with the three other chicken breasts.
Line a plate with a paper towel and set aside. Add two chicken breasts to the hot oil and cook, turning every 1 to 2 minutes, until the crust is golden and chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to cool and season with salt and pepper. (To make sure the chicken is cooked, insert a thermometer into the center of the thickest part of the breast. It should read at least 165 degrees.) Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of chicken. Depending on your stove, you may need to adjust your heat to ensure the oil maintains a temperature of 325° degrees.
In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. When it is melted, add 2 buns, split-side down, and cook until toasted, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining butter and buns.
To Serve
Spread pickle mayonnaise on the bottom of each bun. Top with chicken, red onion, additional pickles, and coleslaw. Serve with hot sauce.
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