I tried to make a copycat Popeyes fried chicken sandwich and ended up with a hybrid between that and the one from Chick-fil-A. So you get the best of both worlds and what’s more, this DIY version never runs out, not even on Sundays.
Prep Time::20 mins
Cook Time::5 mins
Additional Time:: 2 hrs 15 mins
Total Time:: 2 hrs 40 mins
Servings::4
Yield::4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Marinade:
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 dash hot sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix (such as Hidden Valley Ranch®)
4 (5 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Breading:
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper (Optional)
1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix (such as Hidden Valley Ranch®)
Wash:
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup milk
The Rest:
canola oil for frying
4 soft hamburger buns, toasted and buttered
6 tablespoons mayonnaise, or to taste
12 dill pickle slices, or to taste
Directions
Whisk buttermilk, salt, hot sauce, and ranch dressing mix together in a large bowl. Cut diagonal slits into the thick ends of chicken breasts and toss into marinade until well coated. Transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 4 hours.
Meanwhile, make the breading: Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, cayenne, and ranch dressing mix together in a shallow dish.
Make the wash: Whisk egg, buttermilk, and milk together in another bowl until combined.
Use a fork to pull chicken from marinade, letting any excess drip off. Dip into the breading to coat both sides; shake off any excess. Dip into egg wash mixture to saturate surface; return to breading to coat, shake off excess, and repeat once more. Let sit on a wire rack to dry, at least 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep-fryer to between 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Fry chicken breasts in the hot oil until golden, crispy, and no longer pink in the centers, 4 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a plate topped with crinkled up aluminum foil to prevent bottoms from getting soggy.
Spread mayonnaise over hamburger bun halves. Stuff with pickles and chicken.
Chef’s Notes
You really want to do this with a smaller, flatter breast than the one I used in the video. The meat-to-crunchy coating ratio should be closer to 2-to-1 than 4-to-1.
You can also pan-fry this in about 1 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet.