Ingredients
Chicken
- 1¾ tsp Morton kosher salt
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 skin-on or skinless boneless chicken thighs (thighs make the juiciest sandwich)
Seasoned Aoli
- 1 garlic clove finely grated
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbs finely chopped chives
- ½ tsp celery seeds or fennel seeds
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Coleslaw
- 2 cups shredded green and red cabbage
- 1 cup julienned carrots
Flour Mixture
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ? cup cornstarch
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1 tbs onion powder
- 1 tbs paprika
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbs Diamond Crystal or 3½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt plus more
- 1 large egg beaten to blend
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tbs hot sauce such as Frank’s; plus more for serving (optional)
- Peanut or vegetable oil peanut oil fry's the cleanest
Instructions
Chicken
- Mix salt, sugar, and baking powder in a small bowl. Season chicken all over with salt mixture (you won’t need all of it). Chill uncovered on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Seasoned Aioli
- Combine garlic and lemon juice in a medium bowl; let sit 10 minutes. Mix in mayonnaise, chives, celery seeds, and pepper; season with salt.
Assembly
- DRY MIXTURE: Whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and 2 Tbsp. salt in a medium bowl.
- WET MIXTURE: Whisk egg, buttermilk, and 3 Tbsp. hot sauce in another medium bowl.
DREDGE TIME (secret included)
- Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, turning to coat and packing into crevices. Shake to remove excess; return to rack. Pour 4 Tbsp. buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and work in with your fingers. Dip chicken into remaining buttermilk mixture, allow excess to drip off, then pack moistened flour mixture firmly onto chicken. Gently shake off excess; return to rack. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
Fry Time
- Very important tip: Make sure that you have a thermometer and the oil does not go above 350, if so the flour will fry too quick and leave you with burnt crispy chicken.
- Pour oil into a large heavy pot fitted with thermometer to come halfway up sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in 2 batches, fry chicken, turning often and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until deep golden brown, 5–8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain.
- Heat a dry large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Brush cut sides of buns with butter and, working in batches, cook, cut side down, until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch.
- Mix together coleslaw mixture and half of the aioli.
- With the remaining aioli, mix in 1 Tbsp. pickle brine OR hot sauce in a medium bowl. (this is used to coat the bun
- Spread some of the aioli over cut sides of buns. Build sandwiches with fried chicken, hot sauce, slaw, avocado and pickles if desired.
