Description
Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Fried Chicken Sandwiches deliver Southern comfort with crispy, golden perfection. Juicy chicken nestled between buttery brioche buns promises a satisfying meal that brings classic deli flavors right to your kitchen table.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Main Ingredients:
- 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (170 grams / 6 ounces each)
- 480 millilitres / 16 fluid ounces buttermilk, shaken
Dry Ingredients for Coating:
- 450 grams / 3½ cups 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
Supplemental Ingredients:
- 2 (1.36 litres / 2 × 1½ quarts) canola oil
- 1 shallot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 jalapeño pepper (with seeds), halved lengthwise
- 6 potato hamburger buns, toasted
- Buttermilk Herb Mayo (recipe linked below)
- 6 Bibb lettuce leaves
- Kosher dill pickles (such as Claussen), thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Craft a zesty marinade by combining buttermilk, finely minced shallot, crushed garlic, diced jalapeño, kosher salt (10 grams), and black pepper (2 grams) in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Gently pound chicken breasts between parchment paper layers until uniformly thin (0.5 inches/1.25 centimeters). Slice each breast horizontally to create two equal portions. Thoroughly immerse chicken pieces in the prepared marinade, ensuring complete coverage. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-24 hours to maximize flavor infusion.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Position a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet inside the oven to maintain chicken temperature after frying. Prepare a seasoned coating by whisking flour, baking powder, paprika, cayenne, celery salt, kosher salt (15 grams), and 1½ teaspoons black pepper (3 grams) in a large mixing bowl.
- Heat canola oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep Dutch oven, approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters) deep. Remove chicken from marinade, thoroughly coat in seasoned flour mixture, then dip back into marinade and re-coat with flour. Carefully lower 3 chicken pieces into hot oil, maintaining consistent temperature. Fry for 5 minutes, rotating once to achieve uniform golden-brown coloration. Transfer cooked pieces to oven-warmed wire rack. Repeat process with remaining chicken.
- Assemble sandwiches by spreading Buttermilk Herb Mayo on bottom bun. Layer with crisp lettuce, 4 pickle slices, and freshly fried chicken. Apply additional mayo to top bun’s interior before placing it atop the chicken.
- Serve sandwiches immediately while chicken remains hot and crispy, ensuring maximum flavor and textural enjoyment.
Notes
- Crisp up your chicken by keeping it warm in the oven after frying, preventing soggy texture and maintaining that delightful crunch.
- Space out your frying batches to just 3 pieces at a time, guaranteeing each piece gets perfectly golden and evenly cooked.
- Double-dredge your chicken by coating it first in flour, then buttermilk, and finishing with another flour layer for an incredibly crunchy exterior.
- Monitor your oil temperature religiously at 350°F to prevent burning or sogginess, which can sabotage your fried chicken’s success.
- Let your chicken marinate overnight to infuse deep, incredible flavor and ensure maximum tenderness throughout the meat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 561 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1,000mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 56mg