Fried chicken sandwich with creamy coleslaw
This crispy, juicy fried chicken sandwich is perfection paired with creamy coleslaw. This is the stuff your food dreams are made of.
James Beard once said “Too few people understand a really good sandwich.” Amen, James. Amen. I am often looked at like I’m crazy when I tell people I prefer a good sandwich over pretty much any other food. Steak? Meh. Pasta? Pass. They don’t come close when a sandwich is done good and proper. And this fried chicken sandwich, my friends, is one hell of a good and proper sandwich.
First of all: Fried chicken. Who can say no to a piece of juicy, tender chicken encased in a crisp coating? I used the same recipe I did for my Crispy Juicy Fried Chicken, I just used boneless chicken breasts instead of chicken pieces. It’s important to keep the skin on the breast though. The skin gives the chicken more flavour but also allows the coating to stick better. Pair this with creamy coleslaw and a buttered brioche roll and you have sandwich nirvana. Simple, flavoursome and absolutely kick-ass.
Table of Contents
How do you make a good fried chicken sandwich?
The key to good fried chicken is to make sure the chicken is crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside and super flavorful all at the same time. Giving the chicken some time to marinade in a mixture of buttermilk and seasonings will ensure the chicken is tenderized and super juicy. After the chicken has marinated, drench it in a flour mix heavily seasoned with herbs and spices before frying. Because the chicken is boneless, the cooking time will be much less than bone-in pieces which means the oil can be a little hotter. This will also result in that crisp, golden crunch you want.
Serve the fried chicken on a toasted brioche bun (oh yum!) with coleslaw for sweet, creamy crunch.
What should I put on my chicken sandwich?
Coleslaw. Always coleslaw. The crunchy carrots and cabbage in a creamy sauce is the perfect accompaniment to the juicy fried chicken and rich brioche bun. Pickles are also a good idea to cut through the richness and I would recommend pickled jalapeños for maximum flavor. Anything that adds brightness to the sandwich is a good idea.
Fried chicken and creamy coleslaw sandwich
Ingredients
for the fried chicken
For the buttermilk marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 6 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
For the flour dredge
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
for the coleslaw
- 3 cups shredded cabbage I used red
- 2 carrots grated
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise I used Hellman’s
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt to taste
to serve
- buttered brioche rolls
Instructions
- Combine all the buttermilk marinade ingredients in a large bowl then add the chicken breasts. Allow to marinade for at least 2 hours but up to 24 hours, refrigerated.
- When the chicken has marinated, combine all the ingredients for the flour dredge and mix well.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk marinade then dredge in the flour, making sure to get the flour packed onto the chicken.
- Heat oil in a deep pot. Shake off the excess flour then carefully add the chicken to the hot oil. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and crisp and cooked through. Flip half-way through cooking to allow both sides to brown.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and allow to drain before assembling the sandwich.
- In the meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the coleslaw in a bowl and mix well.
- Toast the brioche rolls then top with the chicken and coleslaw and serve.