McDonald's Style Junior Chicken Sandwich
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
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.
Notes
Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding pan.
Chicken should be at room temperature before frying.