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The Best Spicy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Martin
Spicy chicken sandwich, with chicken breading adapted from Natasha's Kitchen and chili oil topping adapted from Bon Appétit. 
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Ingredients
  

For the chicken marinade:

  • 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, checked for bone fragments and pounded to an even thickness
  • 1 1/2 C buttermilk
  • 1 Tbsp hot sauce of your choice
  • 2 Tbsp bourbon or other high-proof liquor
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

For the breading:

  • 1 1/2 C all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

For the chili oil:

  • 6 Tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Oil for frying buns and toppings for sandwiches how you like them
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Instructions
 

  • Make the marinade by whisking all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the chicken thighs, turning and moving to coat all sides. Allow the meat to soak in the mixture for an hour or two, or up to overnight. 

When it's time to cook:

  • Put 3-5" of oil in a deep, heavy pot like a Dutch oven and begin heating it. Use your ChefAlarm and set your alarms to
    325 and 350°F
    (163 and 177°C).
  • Mix the ingredients for the breading together in a medium-large bowl. 
  • Add a few tablespoons of the chicken marinade to the dry ingredients and rub them into the flour, creating lumpy bits in the breading. 
  • One at a time, remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, let the excess marinade drop off of them, and dredge then in the flour mixture, coating well, even in the nooks and crannies. 
  • Lay each cutlet on a sheet until they are all prepared. 
  • Once the oil has come up to temperature, gently put one or two chicken pieces into the pot. 
  • Cook, keeping an eye on the ChefAlarm and adjusting the flame to try to stay within the specified temperature window. 
  • Once they are golden brown, start checking the chicken thighs' internal temperatures with your Thermapen ONE. If you find no temperatures below
    175°F
    (79°C), remove the chicken to a paper towel-lined clean sheet or platter. 
  • Continue cooking the chicken pieces, letting the oil temperature recover back up to 350°F (177°C) between each batch.
  • Once the chicken is cooked, prepare the chili oil by combining the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl. Ladle 1 C of the hot fryer oil into the bowl and whisk to combine. 
  • Use a brush to mix the solids up into the oil, then baste it onto each chicken thigh, coating both sides. 
  • Make them into sandwiches and serve!