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This Fried Chicken Sandwich is not your usual sandwich. It’s seasoned with lemon pepper, tossed in a homemade buffalo sauce, and garnished with kale slaw.
That’s a combination of crunchy, tender, spicy, lemony, and saucy. Perfect for family gatherings or game-day food. It’s a combination of my two favorite wing flavors, and it’s a party in your mouth. And possibly the best-fried chicken sandwich you’ll ever have.
You can easily make these into sliders to feed your crew during tailgating, parties, or for a flavorful appetizer.
I remember waiting in line for the Popeye’s fried chicken sandwich after the hype died down. My first thought was it’s a good chicken sandwich, but I don’t know about all the hype.
I love a great chicken sandwich; it doesn’t matter if the chicken is sliced, braised, fried, or baked. If it has the goods, I’m all in.
What do I mean by the goods? Texture, flavor, and sauces are the main qualities I enjoy. Check out my Big Easy Chicken Sandwich for one that has all the above.
Also, this blog post chicken sandwich has the goods too.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients:
To make this delicious fried chicken sandwich, you will need the following ingredients:
Lemon Pepper
Not all lemon pepper seasoning is made equal. My go-to lemon pepper seasoning comes from Penzeys. It’s made with lemon peel, black pepper, citric acid, garlic, and minced green onions.
Hot Sauce
Which hot sauce you use depends on what flavor you like: vinegar, tabasco, spicy, mild, or a balance of a combination of all the above.
Melted Butter
Melted butter helps create the emulsification needed to make a Buffalo sauce with the right texture and thickness.
Chicken Thighs
I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs because they have more flavor than all the other parts of the chicken.
Kale Slaw
You can use any slaw base you like, but I love the added health benefits of kale.
Ingredients for best fried chicken sandwich:
Here are all the ingredients needed to make this amazing chicken sandwich. To order your groceries for delivery or pickup. Press the purple button in the recipe card.
- Lemon Pepper Chicken:
- Canola oil
- Lemon pepper seasoning
- Italian seasoning
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Large eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Melted butter
- Brioche buns
- Dill pickles
- Buffalo Sauce:
- Hot sauce
- Unsalted butter
- Kale Slaw:
- Mayonnaise
- White vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Kale slaw mix
Common One to One Substitutions:
Whether you’re missing an ingredient or looking to get creative, here are a few of the most common substitutions for this dish:
If you’re not a fan of chicken thighs, you can use boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders. If you do choose to use chicken breast, I strongly recommend you pound them out until flat. Flattening will help the fried chicken cook evenly and be crispy.
If you have a gluten allergy. You can use gluten-free flour for your flour mixture. Plus, cornstarch is gluten-free too. Also, use your favorite gluten-free burger buns.
If you want to make your kale slaw healthier, use 0% Greek yogurt to swap for the mayonnaise. You can also use sour cream as a swap for the mayonnaise.
How to make best fried chicken sandwich:
A fantastic homemade fried chicken sandwich may seem complicated, but you only need the proper techniques and hot grease to make a sandwich that rivals the big chain restaurants.
Fill a large skillet halfway with oil, heat oil over medium heat to 365°F. In a small bowl, combine lemon pepper seasoning and Italian seasoning. Season chicken thighs evenly on both sides with 1 tablespoon lemon pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs and hot sauce until smooth. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and remaining lemon pepper seasoning. Dip one chicken thigh in egg mixture, then evenly coat in flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Fry chicken thighs for 4-5 minutes on each side. Chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F or juices run clear.
While thighs fry, make the Buffalo sauce. In a large bowl, add the hot sauce, slowly drizzle in hot melted butter while you whisk. The sauce should be coat a spoon.
Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until smooth in a large bowl. Fold in slaw mix, set in the fridge until you build your sandwich.
Brush melted butter on brioche buns and toast. Once the chicken is finished frying, add two thighs to Buffalo sauce and toss until fully coated.
Assemble sandwich bun bottom, pickles, slaw, chicken, a spoonful of Buffalo sauce, top bun. Enjoy hot!
How to store
Storage
If you’re looking to make this dish in advance, you can easily store it in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to eat. Before storing hot foods, you should always let them cool down to room temperature and store them in an airtight container.
Fried Chicken Sandwich: You can keep your cooked chicken sandwich in the fridge for 7 days. If you’re going to save it for later, dip the chicken in the sauce after reheating the chicken for maximum flavor. To reheat your fried chicken sandwich, bake the chicken in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes.
Buffalo Sauce: You can make the buffalo sauce 3 days in advance. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat the buffalo sauce to a small saucepot over medium heat until it simmers, about 3-5 minutes. Do not boil the sauce. Boiling will break the emulsification.
Kale Slaw: You can make the slaw a few hours before needed. Keep in an airtight container for 3 days.
Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe Tips & Tricks:
Here are some of my top tips and tricks to help you make this dish:
- Squeezing the chicken in the flour dredge slightly helps create the crunchy bites we all love.
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a toothpick to confirm when oil is hot. Tiny bubbles will be around the wood once it’s 350°F or hotter.
- Canola oil is best for frying because of its neutral flavor.
- No, you do not need buttermilk to make these fried chicken sandwiches.
- Always remember, hot oil and cold chicken equals crispy chicken. That’s the most straightforward secret for crispy fried chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about making fried chicken sandwiches at home:
Adding cornstarch to your flour dredge will make your fried chicken very crispier and crunchier!
The cornstarch acts as a wall against the gluten of flour, helps your chicken absorb moisture, and makes your chicken golden brown, crunchy, and crispy.
Making this fried chicken sandwich healthier is simple. If you have an air-fryer, omit the oil for frying. Spray the air-fryer basket with cooking spray, add dredge chicken skin side down, spray with cooking spray, and air-fry at 400°F for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through.
If you do not have an air-fryer, you can follow the same steps by baking the chicken in a 425°F oven for 16-20 minutes. If you have a wire rack to bake the chicken on, it will help the air circulate the chicken and make it even crispier.
Traditionally, Southerners make buttermilk fried chicken. Using buttermilk does wonder for fried chicken. It adds a lovely tang flavor and tenderizes the chicken.
I didn’t want to create another buttermilk chicken sandwich. That’s why I only used eggs and hot sauce. To make this a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, swap out the eggs for 1 ½ cup buttermilk.
Latest Recipe Video:
More Chicken Dinner Ideas
If your mouth is watering after reading this blog, I want you to also add these amazing chicken dishes to your dinner list.
- Fried Chicken Mac & Cheese
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Grilled Chicken with Crown Royal Glaze
- Greek Chicken Burgers
- Tequila Lime Chicken Bowl
- Curry Chicken Ramen
I hope you found this blog post to be helpful. Please leave a comment below and a 5-stars rating with your experience of making this delicious fried chicken sandwich. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, too - I love seeing those pictures!
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Recipe:
Fried Chicken Sandwich with Kale Slaw
Ingredients
Lemon Pepper Chicken:
- Canola oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 4 brioche buns
- 12 dill pickles
Buffalo Sauce:
- 6 oz. hot sauce
- 1 stick hot melted unsalted butter
Kale Slaw:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 oz. kale slaw mix
Instructions
- Fill a large skillet halfway with oil, heat oil over medium heat to 365°F. In a small bowl, combine lemon pepper seasoning and Italian seasoning. Season chicken thighs evenly on both sides with 1 tablespoon lemon pepper.
- In a medium bowl, combine eggs and hot sauce until smooth. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and remaining lemon pepper seasoning. Dip one chicken thigh in egg mixture, then evenly coat in flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Fry chicken thighs for 4-5 minutes on each side. Chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F or juices run clear.
- While thighs fry, make the Buffalo sauce. In a large bowl, add the hot sauce, slowly drizzle in hot melted butter while you whisk. The sauce should be coat a spoon.
- Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until smooth in a large bowl. Fold in slaw mix, set in the fridge until you build your sandwich.
- Brush melted butter on brioche buns and toast. Once the chicken is finished frying, add two thighs to Buffalo sauce and toss until fully coated.
- Assemble sandwich bun bottom, pickles, slaw, chicken, a spoonful of Buffalo sauce, top bun. Enjoy hot with fries, chips or salad!
Notes
If you’re looking to make this dish in advance, you can easily store it in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to eat. Before storing hot foods, you should always let them cool down to room temperature and store them in an airtight container. Fried Chicken Sandwich: You can keep your cooked chicken sandwich in the fridge for 7 days. If you’re going to save it for later, dip the chicken in the sauce after reheating the chicken for maximum flavor. To reheat your fried chicken sandwich, bake the chicken in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes. Buffalo Sauce: You can make the buffalo sauce 3 days in advance. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat the buffalo sauce to a small saucepot over medium heat until it simmers, about 3-5 minutes. Do not boil the sauce. Boiling will break the emulsification. Kale Slaw: You can make the slaw a few hours before needed. Keep in an airtight container for 3 days.
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