Southern Style Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe

By
MacKenzie Smith
MacKenzie Smith
Recipe developer, food stylist, author, and teacher with a passion for sandwiches. She's behind the popular blog Grilled Cheese Social.
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Updated on 12/19/22
Southern Style Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich
Grilled Cheese Social
Prep: 48 hrs
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 48 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1176 Calories
45g Fat
147g Carbs
43g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 1176
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 57%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 61mg 20%
Sodium 3033mg 132%
Total Carbohydrate 147g 54%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 43g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 309mg 24%
Iron 9mg 48%
Potassium 740mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

 I did it. I developed the closest thing to a chick-fil-a sandwich that's ever existed. Its got that sweet, buttery and crisp fried chicken flavor that's so reminiscent of this southern fast-food favorite. The toasted potato bun is light and airy and the pickles help cut through the richness of the sandwich.

Don't forget, soaking the chicken in buttermilk is essential! Not only does it help flavor the chicken throughout, but it also helps it from drying out! 

And if you don't have a deep fryer, don't worry! You can use any heavy-duty pan (like cast iron) as long as you flip it so that both sides have enough time to cook through. 

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken breast, sliced in half

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 1/2 cup sweet pickle juice

  • 3 cups peanut oil, or enough for submerged frying

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for finishing

  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, optional

  • 1 teaspoon salted butter

  • 2 potato buns

  • 4 dill pickle chips

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Begin by brining the chicken. In a ziplock bag, add the chicken, buttermilk, and pickle juice.

  3. Seal and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. I've found the best most succulent results from a 48 hour brine, but a 24 hour brine will do just fine if you don't have time.

  4. After the chicken has brined, heat your oil to around 350 to 360 F.

  5. As the oil is heating, sift your flour into a shallow dish and mix in the salt and confectioners' sugar if desired.

  6. Remove the chicken from the brine and allow excess liquid to fall off.

  7. Dip the brined chicken breasts into the flour so that it has a light coating on the exterior.

  8. Add the chicken to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through.

  9. Let chicken rest on a paper towel to help absorb excess grease and finish with a sprinkle of salt.

  10. As the chicken is frying, add butter to a small skillet and toast the potato buns interior until golden and fragrant.

  11. Once the chicken is fried and the buns have toasted, simply add the buttermilk fried chicken to the toasted potato buns and top with pickles. Serve immediately.

Tip

Don't forget, soaking the chicken in buttermilk is essential! Not only does it help flavor the chicken throughout, but it also helps it from drying out!