Pickle Brined Fried Chicken (Print Version)
Juicy fried chicken soaked in pickle brine, served crispy on soft buns with tangy toppings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken and Marinade
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into slider-sized pieces
02 - 1 cup dill pickle brine (from jarred dill pickles)
03 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
→ Breading
04 - 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
05 - ⅓ cup cornstarch
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Frying
11 - 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
→ Assembly
12 - 8 slider buns
13 - 8 dill pickle slices
14 - 4 lettuce leaves, halved
15 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
16 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
# How to Make It:
01 - Place chicken pieces in a bowl and submerge in pickle brine and hot sauce. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for maximum flavor penetration.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
03 - Remove chicken from the brine and discard the used brine. Pat each piece thoroughly dry with paper towels, then coat completely in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
04 - Heat oil in a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry chicken pieces for 4 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain on paper towels.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard until smooth and well blended.
06 - Spread the mayonnaise-mustard sauce on both halves of each slider bun. Layer a lettuce half, a fried chicken piece, and a dill pickle slice on the bottom bun, then cap with the top half. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pickle brine works like a secret marinade, keeping the chicken impossibly juicy while adding a tangy depth that surprises everyone who tries it.
- Cornstarch in the breading is the trick to that shatteringly crisp crust that stays crunchy even after sitting on a bun for ten minutes.
02 -
- Do not skip patting the chicken dry after marinating, because excess brine on the surface will make the breading gummy instead of crisp.
- Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches, as crowded cold oil is the number one cause of soggy fried chicken.
03 -
- Use a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature constantly, because even a fifteen degree drop changes the texture from crispy to greasy.
- Let the fried chicken rest for one minute on the paper towels before assembling, which allows the crust to set and prevents the bun from steaming soft.