Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Makes 4 sandwiches · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Total: about 40 minutes
The chicken is the only part worth making from scratch here. Use bagged slaw and frozen fries, then put your effort into a crisp cutlet and a quick hot honey.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle brine
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Breading
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Neutral oil, for frying
Creamy slaw
- 1 14-ounce bag coleslaw mix
- ⅓ cup prepared coleslaw dressing
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Black pepper
Hot honey
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of cayenne, optional
For serving
- 4 brioche hamburger buns
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- Frozen restaurant-style fries
- Dill pickle spears
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken
If the cutlets are thicker than ½ inch, place them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even thickness. Mix the buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and salt in a shallow dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- 2
Make the slaw
Toss the coleslaw mix with the prepared dressing, vinegar, and several grinds of black pepper. Refrigerate until needed, and drain off any liquid before adding it to the sandwiches.
- 3
Cook the fries
Cook the frozen fries according to the package directions. For an air fryer, cook at 400°F for 12 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket several times. Salt them as soon as they are done.
- 4
Make the hot honey
Combine the honey, hot sauce, butter, vinegar, salt, and cayenne in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until smooth — do not let it boil. Taste and add more hot sauce or vinegar as needed.
- 5
Prepare the breading
Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a wide bowl. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade into the flour. Rub it through the mixture with your fingers to form small clumps — these will create the rough, crunchy coating.
- 6
Bread the chicken
Remove one cutlet from the marinade and let the excess drip off. Press it firmly into the flour mixture on both sides, pressing some of the flour clumps onto the chicken, then shake off only the loose excess. Repeat with the remaining cutlets, then let the breaded chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- 7
Fry the chicken
Pour about ¾ inch of oil into a large, heavy skillet and heat it to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second side, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil near 350°F. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack when deeply golden and cooked to 165°F in the center. Season lightly with salt.
- 8
Toast the buns
Spread butter over the cut sides of the buns. Toast them cut-side down in a skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden.
- 9
Assemble
Brush each chicken cutlet with hot honey, leaving some of the crust uncovered. Place the chicken on the bottom bun and add a generous mound of drained slaw. Drizzle with a little more hot honey, then add the top bun. Serve immediately with fries and a pickle spear.
More recipes to try
Save this recipe, and any recipe from anywhere, in Shio.
Get Shio