Pickle Brined Fried Chicken Sliders (Print Version)
Tangy pickle-brined fried chicken on soft buns with zesty toppings for an irresistible bite-sized sandwich.
# 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 a jar of 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 the chicken pieces in a shallow dish and pour the pickle brine and hot sauce over them. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
03 - Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the used brine. Pat each piece thoroughly dry with paper towels. Dredge each chicken piece in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing firmly to ensure an even, adherent coating on all sides.
04 - Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully lower the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard until smooth and well blended.
06 - Spread the mayo-mustard sauce generously on both halves of each slider bun. Layer a piece of lettuce, a hot fried chicken piece, and a dill pickle slice on each bottom bun. Cap with the top half of the bun and serve immediately while the chicken is still hot and crispy.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pickle brine does most of the work for you, tenderizing the chicken and injecting it with a sour tang that penetrates deep into every bite.
- Cornstarch in the breading is the real secret to that shatteringly crisp crust that stays crunchy even after sitting on a platter for twenty minutes.
02 -
- Do not skip patting the chicken dry after brining or the breading will clump and slide off during frying.
- Keep an instant read thermometer handy because oil temperature drops when you add chicken, and frying below 170 degrees means greasy soggy results.
03 -
- Fry a test piece first to check your oil temperature and seasoning before committing the whole batch.
- Warm the buns briefly in the oven or on a skillet so they are soft and pliable rather than cold and stiff against the hot chicken.