McDonald’s Style Junior Chicken Sandwich Recipe
This is that simple crispy chicken sandwich from McDonald’s but made better at home. The two keys are the marinade and the dredge. A buttermilk and pickle brine marinade makes the chicken incredibly tender and flavorful, and adding cornstarch to the flour dredge is what creates a super crisp, shatteringly crunchy crust.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons dill pickle brine
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Neutral oil for frying (like canola or peanut)
- 4 potato buns
- Dill pickle chips
- Spicy Mayo (recipe follows)
For the Spicy Mayo
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
Marinate the Chicken
If the chicken thighs are very thick, you can pound them slightly to a more even thickness.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Add the chicken thighs and turn to ensure they are fully submerged.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.
Prepare the Dredge and Sauce
In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and hot sauce for the spicy mayo.
Fry the Chicken
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, pour in about 1/2 inch of neutral oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350F.
Remove one piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the chicken thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to ensure a thick, even coating.
Carefully place the coated chicken into the hot oil. Fry for ~4-5 minutes per side, until deep golden brown, crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165F. Do not overcrowd the pan; fry in batches if necessary.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack to drain.
Assemble and Serve
Toast the potato buns lightly.
Spread a layer of spicy mayo on the bottom bun. Top with a few dill pickle chips, place the hot chicken thigh on top, and close the sandwich with the top bun.
Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and crispy.
McDonald’s Style Junior Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons dill pickle brine
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce like Frank’s RedHot
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Neutral oil for frying like canola or peanut
- 4 potato buns
- Dill pickle chips
- Spicy Mayo recipe follows
For the Spicy Mayo
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce or to taste
Method
- Mix buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and 1 tsp salt in bowl.
- Add chicken thighs to marinade, cover and refrigerate 1-4 hours.
- Combine flour, cornstarch, seasonings, and remaining salt in shallow dish.
- Mix mayonnaise with hot sauce for spicy mayo.
- Heat 1/2 inch neutral oil to 350F in large skillet.
- Remove chicken from marinade, dredge thoroughly in flour mixture.
- Fry chicken 4-5 minutes per side until golden and 165F internal temp.
- Transfer to wire rack to drain.
- Toast buns, spread with spicy mayo.
- Top with pickles and fried chicken, serve immediately.
