5-Ingredient Fried Chicken Sandwiches

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 jar sliced pickles, such as Vlasic, with brine

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (240ml) buttermilk

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (7 1/2 ounces; 210g, see note)

1 quart (945ml) peanut, vegetable, or canola oil

4 soft hamburger buns or potato rolls, toasted

Directions

Pour 3/4 cup pickle juice out of pickle jar into a measuring cup. Reserve pickles.

Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Place in a plastic zipper-lock bag. Pour in pickle juice. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate and let chicken soak in pickle juice for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to fry, remove chicken from bag and discard pickle juice. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Pour buttermilk into a medium bowl. Add flour and 1 tablespoon pepper to a second bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons of buttermilk to bowl with flour and work it into the flour with your fingertips.

Transfer chicken to bowl with buttermilk and turn to coat. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Add chicken to bowl with flour and turn, lifting the flour on top of it and pressing it down firmly until a thick, shaggy layer of flour has stuck to the chicken. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Heat oil in a wok, deep cast iron skillet, or Dutch oven to 425°F (218°C) using a frying thermometer or an instant-read thermometer. Carefully lower chicken pieces into the hot oil; temperature will drop. Adjust flame to maintain a temperature of between 300 and 350°F (150 and 177°C). Cook without moving until well browned on first side, about 2 minutes. Flip chicken carefully using tongs and a slotted spatula and cook until second side is browned and chicken is fully cooked, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.

Place bottom buns on a work surface and top with a few pickles each. Top with fried chicken, followed by top buns. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Serves 4
• Calories: 816 kcal
• Total Fat: 33 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 171 mg
• Sodium: 3240 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 82 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 49 g