These are fried chicken sandwiches I tried to replicate from fast-food chains. Living in the south has opened up my horizons in terms of food. For many reasons. I’ve discovered that my favorite fast-food chain is Popeye’s. I used to be anti-fast food for many reasons but now when I eat it, I chose wisely.

They’re not hard to make, as usual it just takes time.

Here’s the recipe.

Garnishes:

• Brioche buns
• Pickles

For the marinade:

• 4 chicken thighs (deboned and with no skin)
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon of old bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Marinade method:

In a large bowl, mix all of your marinade ingredients and add the chicken. Allow the chicken thighs to marinate for at least 4 hours. Overnight makes the chicken much juicier and tender, so aim for that.

When you’re ready to fry or bake, start mixing the dredging.

Breading/dredging:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

For frying:

• 1 liter vegetable oil for frying (such as grapeseed, safflower, or 3rd press olive oil)
• 1 large skillet for frying, such as castiron

Special sauce:

• 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/3 cup diced shallots
• 1/3 cup diced pickles
• 1/2 cup kewpie mayo
• 1/2 cup sriracha
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp black vinegar

Special sauce method:

Simply mix everything together in a large bowl.

Fried Chicken Sandwiches Method:

1. In a large bowl mix all of the breading/dredging ingredients together.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and a set-aside.
3. Add 1 egg to the marinade and mix very well.
4. For the dredging: take one piece of chicken thigh, with your right hand and dip it in the egg mixture, then into the flour, back into the egg, and then into the flour. 3 flour – 1 egg method does the trick. Set aside for 10 seconds before frying.
5. In your frying pot or skillet. Add the oil and set the oil at medium-high heat, at a stable temperature of 350F/176C.
6. Add your chicken thighs 1 or 2 at a time leaving plenty and enough space for them to fry. Do not crowd the oil as it may overflow.
7. If you want to see a video of a method using the oven or airfying: you can check out my Instagram here.
8. When dark golden brown, remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a plate lined with paper towels or napkins.
9. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it’s at 165F/75C.
10. Place the chicken on a brioche bun, spread with special sauce, and pickles.
11. Serve with a side of chips and or a beer!