Pickle Brined Fried Chicken Sliders (Printable View)
Tangy pickle-brined fried chicken on soft buns with zesty toppings for a crowd-pleasing mini sandwich.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken and Marinade
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into slider-sized pieces
02 - 1 cup pickle brine (from a jar of dill pickles)
03 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
→ Breading
04 - 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
05 - ⅓ cup cornstarch
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Frying
11 - 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
→ Assembly
12 - 8 slider buns
13 - 8 dill pickle slices
14 - 4 lettuce leaves, halved
15 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
16 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
# How to Prepare:
01 - Place chicken pieces in a bowl and cover with pickle brine and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
03 - Remove chicken from the brine, discard the brine, and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Coat each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
04 - Heat oil in a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Fry chicken pieces in batches for 4–6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain on paper towels.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise and Dijon mustard until smooth.
06 - Spread the mayo-mustard mixture on both halves of each slider bun. Layer lettuce, a fried chicken piece, and a dill pickle slice on the bottom bun. Cap with the top bun and serve immediately while hot and crispy.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The pickle brine does all the heavy lifting for juiciness and flavor so you barely have to season anything else.
- Cornstarch in the breading creates a shatteringly crisp crust that stays crunchy even after sitting on a platter for an hour.
- Slider size means everyone gets a perfect ratio of crispy chicken to soft bun in every single bite.
02 -
- If the oil temperature drops below 165 degrees Celsius the crust will absorb grease and turn soggy instead of crispy.
- Patting the brined chicken completely dry before dredging is the difference between a crisp coating and a pasty mess.
03 -
- Let the dredged chicken rest on a plate for five minutes before frying so the coating has time to fully adhere and set.
- The secret spread ratio is four parts mayonnaise to one part Dijon mustard which gives you creaminess with just enough sharpness.