Crispy Pickle Brine Chicken Sandwich
Pickle-brined chicken cutlets, breaded and fried until golden, served on buttery toasted buns with dill pickles.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound) Sliced in half horizontally and pounded to 1/2 inch.
- 1 cup dill pickle juice Not sweet pickle juice.
- ½ cup milk or buttermilk For the brine.
- 1 large egg For the egg wash.
- ½ cup milk For the egg wash.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional.
- 3 cups peanut oil Or canola or vegetable oil; 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep.
- 4 soft buns (brioche or potato)
- 2 tablespoons butter For toasting the buns.
- dill pickle slices
- mayonnaise or honey mustard Optional.
Instructions
Cooking
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally and pound the cutlets to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
- Whisk the pickle juice and 1/2 cup milk, add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.
- Whisk the egg and 1/2 cup milk in one dish. In another, whisk the flour, powdered sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, baking powder, and cayenne.
- Lift the chicken from the brine, pat fairly dry, dip in the egg wash, and press firmly into the flour mixture. Rest on a rack 5 to 10 minutes.
- Heat 1 to 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
- Fry 2 cutlets at a time for 3 to 5 minutes per side until deep golden and 165°F inside. Drain on a wire rack.
- Butter and toast the buns cut side down until golden. Assemble with chicken, pickles, and mayonnaise or sauce.
Notes
Includes 1 hour of brining time. Do not brine longer than 4 hours. Store chicken separately from buns; refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Nutrition is an estimate per sandwich.