Pickle Brined Fried Chicken Sliders (Print Version)
Juicy crispy chicken marinated in tangy pickle brine on soft buns with zesty toppings.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken and Marinade
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into slider-sized pieces
02 - 1 cup dill pickle brine (from 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
# Directions:
01 - Place chicken pieces in a bowl and cover with pickle brine and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
02 - In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly distributed.
03 - Remove chicken from brine and discard the brine. Pat chicken dry thoroughly with paper towels. Coat each piece completely in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
04 - Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F. Fry chicken pieces in batches 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, mix mayonnaise and Dijon mustard until smooth and well combined.
06 - Spread the mayonnaise-mustard sauce on both halves of each slider bun. Layer lettuce, a fried chicken piece, and a dill pickle slice on the bottom bun. Cap with the top bun.
07 - Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and crispy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pickle brine does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so you look like a genius with almost zero effort.
- That shatteringly crispy crust paired with juicy chicken inside will ruin you for any other slider.
02 -
- If the oil temperature drops below 165 degrees Celsius the chicken will absorb grease instead of frying crisp, so use a thermometer and fry in small batches.
- Patting the brined chicken completely dry before dredging is the difference between a crust that sticks and one that falls off in disappointing sheets.
03 -
- Cornstarch is the single ingredient that transforms good fried chicken into unforgettable fried chicken, so never skip it.
- The brine from bread and butter pickles works too, but dill brine gives you that savory tang most people associate with the best fried chicken sandwiches.