Buffalo Pickle-Brined Fried Chicken Sandwiches

How do you get bold pickle flavor deep inside your fried chicken? We wanted a fried chicken sandwich where pickle juice was front and center. Adding brine in two separate stages achieved this. We started by soaking boneless thighs in pickle juice fortified with fresh dill, garlic, and dry mustard. Then we dredged the thighs in a seasoned flour dredge. We added a little pickle brine to the flour mixture for more pickle flavor and to create bits that would fry up craggy and crisp. We refrigerated the breaded thighs to help the coating stay on during frying. Just 10 minutes in the oil resulted in crispy, golden-brown chicken. To create a classic spicy buffalo version, we coated the fried chicken with a simple combination of Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce and melted unsalted butter. Thinly sliced celery, crumbled blue cheese, and mayonnaise tossed together provided a fresh and creamy finish.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet