Description
These Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw are a flavorful, crispy, and spicy twist on the classic fried chicken sandwich. Featuring tender fried chicken breasts or thighs hand-breaded and fried to golden perfection, tossed in a rich homemade buffalo sauce, and layered with creamy blue cheese slaw and spicy fried shallots on toasted buns, these sandwiches bring bold flavors and satisfying textures for a delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Breading:
- 3 large Chicken Breasts, pounded to ½-inch thick and sliced in half – or – 6 Boneless skinless chicken thighs flattened to ½ inch (about 1 ½ to 2 lbs.)
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 Quart Peanut Oil or other neutral frying oil
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- ½ Cup Whole Milk
- ¼ Cup Hot Sauce (Texas Pete brand preferred)
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice (from about ½ lemon)
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Fine Sea Salt, divided
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Paprika
- ¼ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
- ½ Teaspoon White Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Buffalo Sauce:
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Hot Sauce (Texas Pete brand preferred)
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice (from about ¼ lemon)
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Blue Cheese Slaw:
- ½ Head Green Cabbage, thinly shredded (about 2 cups)
- ¼ Head Purple Cabbage, thinly shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1 Medium Carrot, grated (about 1 cup)
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 (5 oz.) Container Crumbled Blue Cheese (about ¾ cup)
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ Teaspoon Celery Seed
- ¼ Teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, plus more to taste
Spicy Fried Shallots:
- 2-3 Small Shallots, sliced into 1/8 inch rings
- ¼ Cup Buffalo Sauce (from above)
- 1 Tablespoon Buttermilk
- ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Cup Leftover Fried Chicken Dredging Flour (from previous steps)
Sandwich Assembly:
- 1 Batch Ultimate Homemade Hamburger Buns or Store-bought Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- Prepare the Fried Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts or thighs to ½ inch thickness and slice in half. Season both sides evenly with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and let rest while preparing other components.
- Make the Buttermilk Mixture: In a shallow dish, combine buttermilk, whole milk, hot sauce, lemon juice, beaten egg, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well.
- Mix Dry Ingredients for Breading: In another shallow dish, stir together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, remaining fine sea salt, white pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Dredge the Chicken in Flour: Press chicken pieces into the flour mixture, coating all sides and crevices thoroughly. Shake off excess and place on a wire rack. Repeat for remaining pieces.
- Combine Flour and Buttermilk Mixtures: Add 3-4 tablespoons of the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and gently combine using a fork or fingertips.
- Double Dip the Chicken: Dip each chicken piece in the buttermilk mixture coating all sides, then return to the flour mixture. Cover the top with flour, press down, shake off excess, and place back on the wire rack. Let rest for at least 30 minutes to set the crust.
- Prepare the Buffalo Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add hot sauce, lemon juice, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm until assembly.
- Make the Blue Cheese Slaw: In a large bowl, combine green and purple cabbage, grated carrot, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, crumbled blue cheese, sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Marinate Shallots: Combine sliced shallots, ¼ cup buffalo sauce, 1 tablespoon buttermilk, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. Marinate for at least 20-30 minutes or up to overnight, then cover and set aside.
- Heat Oil for Frying: Preheat oven to 200°F to keep cooked chicken warm. Heat peanut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to 350-375°F for frying.
- Fry the Chicken: Working in batches, fry the breaded chicken by turning frequently, maintaining the oil temperature at 350°F. Cook until golden brown and internal temperature reaches at least 165°F, about 6-8 minutes per batch.
- Drain and Keep Warm: Remove fried chicken from oil, place on a wire rack, season immediately with kosher salt, and let drain and cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to the preheated oven to keep warm.
- Fry the Shallots: While chicken cools and oil remains hot, shake excess marinade from shallots. Dredge in leftover seasoned flour from chicken breading. Shake off excess and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Season with black pepper and kosher salt to taste.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Split and toast hamburger buns. Place several tablespoons of blue cheese slaw on the bottom bun. Toss warm chicken pieces in buffalo sauce to coat, then place on slaw. Add more slaw on top, followed by a generous portion of spicy fried shallots. Top with the bun and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked to 165°F internally for safety and juiciness.
- Allowing the chicken to rest after dredging helps the breading adhere better and results in a crispier crust.
- The spicy fried shallots add a flavorful crunchy texture that balances the creamy slaw and spicy chicken.
- You can substitute any neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying if peanut oil is unavailable.
- If preferred, chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for a juicier result.
- Marinate shallots overnight for a deeper flavor infusion before frying.
- Homemade hamburger buns elevate the sandwich but store-bought buns work well for convenience.
