38 AUGUST 2020
HANDBOOK4 cups all-purpose flour (about 17 oz.)
1 / 4 cup cornstarch
Peanut oil, for frying
1 cup mayonnaise
12 hamburger buns
6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
12 ripe beefsteak tomato slices
(optional)- Stir together^1 / 2 cup pickle brine, 1 table-
spoon salt, paprika, 1 teaspoon black pep-
per, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and
onion powder in a small bowl. Place
chicken thighs in a gallon-size ziplock
plastic bag; pour in pickle brine mixture.
Seal bag, and massage until chicken is
evenly coated with brine mixture. Place in
refrigerator; let marinate at least 2 hours
or up to 8 hours or overnight. - Whisk together buttermilk,^1 / 2 cup water,
and egg in a large bowl. Remove chicken
from brine; discard brine. Add chicken to
buttermilk mixture. Whisk together flour,
cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon salt,
and remaining 1 tablespoon black pepper
in shallow dish. Set aside. - Preheat oven to 200°F. Pour oil to a
depth of^1 / 2 inch in a 12-inch cast-iron skil-
let; heat oil over medium to 350°F.
Super-Crispy Fried
Chicken Sandwiches
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 2 HR 30 MIN
MAKES 12 SANDWICHESBrining boneless, skinless chicken thighs
with dill pickle juice and a classic, Southern-
style spice blend makes for the juiciest,
crunchiest fried chicken sandwiches.
Choose a dill pickle brine that’s low in
sugar to avoid burning while frying.2 (16-oz.) jars dill pickle chips,^1 / 2 cup
brine reserved and about 60 pickle
chips reserved, divided
2 Tbsp. kosher salt, divided
2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. black pepper,
divided
1 / 2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to
taste
1 / 2 tsp. garlic powder
1 / 2 tsp. onion powder
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
(about 3 lb.)
1 cup buttermilk or well-stirred plain
whole-milk yogurt
1 / 2 cup water
1 large egg- Working in batches, remove 3 or 4
chicken thighs from buttermilk mixture,
and place in flour mixture. Cover chicken
with flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Lift
from flour mixture, and gently shake off
excess. Carefully place chicken in hot oil,
taking care not to overcrowd skillet. Cook,
adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil
temperature of 350°F and turning every 1
to 2 minutes using tongs, until a ther-
mometer inserted in thickest portion of
thigh registers 165°F and breading is
golden brown and very crispy, 6 to 8 min-
utes per batch. Remove chicken from skil-
let, and place on a wire rack set inside a
rimmed baking sheet. Place in preheated
oven to keep warm while repeating frying
process with remaining chicken. - Spread 1 heaping tablespoon mayon-
naise onto cut sides of each bun. Arrange
5 to 6 pickle chips on each bun bottom;
top with 1 fried chicken thigh,^1 / 2 cup
shredded lettuce, and, if desired, 1
tomato slice. Cover with bun tops.
—MARY-FRANCES HECK
MAKE AHEAD Chicken can be marinated
in refrigerator up to 8 hours or overnight.
WINE Chillable, light-bodied red: 2019
Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole
Cluster Pinot Noir