Barefoot Contessa Fried Chicken Sandwiches

This delicious Barefoot Contessa Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe is the perfect blend of crispy, juicy, and flavorful. It’s a quick, simple meal that’s great for any occasion. With easy-to-find ingredients like buttermilk, paprika, and fresh pickles, you can make these irresistible sandwiches right at home!

Ingredients Needed

For the Marinade:

• 480 ml buttermilk, shaken
• 1 shallot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 jalapeño pepper (with seeds), halved lengthwise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Chicken:

• 3 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts (170g each)

For the Dredging Mixture:

• 450g all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2½ teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoons black pepper

For Frying:

• 2 (1.36 litre) bottles canola oil

For the Sandwiches:

• 6 potato hamburger buns, toasted
• Buttermilk Herb Mayo (recipe linked below)
• 6 Bibb lettuce leaves
• Kosher dill pickles (such as Claussen), thinly sliced

How To Make Fried Chicken Sandwiches

1. Prepare the Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, shallot, garlic, jalapeño, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
2. Prepare the Chicken: Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound the chicken to an even 1.25 cm thickness. Slice each breast in half crosswise to create two even pieces. Submerge the chicken in the marinade, ensuring it’s well-coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (up to 24 hours).
3. Prepare for Frying: Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Place a wire rack on a sheet pan and set it in the oven to keep the chicken warm after frying. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, paprika, cayenne, celery salt, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1½ teaspoons black pepper.
4. Fry the Chicken: In a large Dutch oven, pour canola oil to a depth of 5 cm. Heat over high heat until the oil reaches 175°C. Lift chicken pieces from the marinade, dredge in the flour mixture, dip back into the marinade, and dredge again in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Working in batches, carefully lower 3 pieces of chicken into the oil. Adjust the heat to keep the oil at 175°C and cook for 5 minutes, turning once to brown evenly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to the wire rack in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.
5. Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread Buttermilk Herb Mayo on the bottom half of each toasted bun. Add a lettuce leaf, 4 pickle slices, and a piece of fried chicken on top. Spread more mayo on the underside of the top bun, then place it on top of the chicken, mayo side down.
6. Serve: Serve the sandwiches immediately while the chicken is warm.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t skip marinating the chicken: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 8 hours for a tender, flavorful result. The longer it marinates, the juicier the chicken will be.
• Maintain oil temperature: Keep the oil at 350°F (175°C) while frying. If it’s too hot, the chicken will burn; if it’s too cold, it will be soggy.
• Dredge the chicken twice: For a crispy, golden coating, dredge the chicken first in the flour mixture, dip it back into the buttermilk, and coat it again in the flour.
• Avoid overcrowding the pan: Fry only 3 pieces of chicken at a time to prevent the oil temperature from dropping, ensuring each piece cooks evenly.
• Keep the chicken warm: After frying, place the chicken on a wire rack in the oven at a low temperature to keep it crispy and warm until ready to serve.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerate: Wrap leftover fried chicken sandwiches tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Separate Leftover Fried Chicken Sandwiches from the bun and mayo. Wrap the chicken in foil or plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave it in the fridge overnight and reheat before serving.
• Reheating: Reheat leftover fried chicken sandwiches in 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until crispy. Avoid microwaving as it can make the chicken soggy.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 sandwich (approximately 1/6 of the recipe)

• Calories: 561 kcal
• Total Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 56mg
• Sodium: 1,000mg
• Potassium: 300mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 54g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 5g
• Protein: 22g

Try More Recipes:

• Barefoot Contessa Chicken In A pot With Orzo
• Barefoot Contessa Chicken With Goat Cheese And Basil
• Barefoot Contessa Skillet-Roasted Chicken Thighs And Potatoes
• Barefoot Contessa Creamy Chicken Thighs With Lemon And Thyme
• Barefoot Contessa Chicken and Dumplings