There’s something about a real deal fried chicken sandwich. Not the shiny fast food patty. I’m talking thick, juicy chicken breast that crunches when you bite into it topped with a creamy slaw that drips just a little down the side of the bun.
This one starts with a buttermilk brine, gets dredged in seasoned flour, and fries up a beautiful golden brown. Then we pile it high with a buttermilk cilantro slaw loaded with pickled jalapeños.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS SANDWICH COMBO BEATS THE DRIVE-THRU
- EQUIPMENT NEEDED & THE BEST OIL FOR FRYING
- INGREDIENTS & MY GO TO SWAPS
- HOW TO GET THAT CRIPSY COATING
- HOW TO KEEP THE SLAW COLD & CRUNCHY
- TIPS TO PREVENT SOGGY BUNS
- TROUBLESHOOTING & QUICK FIXES
- STORAGE & REHEATING
- FAQs
- A QUICK NOTE FROM THE PORCH
- MORE SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN RECIPES
- SOUTHERN RECIPES
- MADE THIS RECIPE?
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich with Cilantro Jalapeño Slaw Recipe
WHY THIS SANDWICH COMBO BEATS THE DRIVE-THRU
- The Crispiness: Hot crispy crust results.
- The Slaw: It’s intentionally a creamy buttermilk mix so it cools the hot chicken and helps keep the crunch without turning into a watery mess.
- The Brine: Soaking the chicken in buttermilk ensures it’s tender and juicy all the way through, not just on the surface.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED & THE BEST OIL FOR FRYING
The Equipment
I love the convenience of a home deep fryer, you just pour in the oil according to the manufacturer’s guide, set the temp, and let it do its thing. But if you don’t have a deep fryer, don’t sweat it. A good Dutch oven or a deep cast-iron pot works perfectly.
If you are going the pot route, a deep-fry thermometer is non-negotiable. Guessing the temperature is the fastest way to ruin good chicken.
Recommended Oil
You need an oil with a high smoke point that can handle sitting at 350 degrees without burning or tasting bitter. Vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil are your best bets for that classic deep frying result.
Safe Deep Frying Tips for Chicken
If you are frying in a pot on the stove, never fill it more than halfway with oil (and honestly, one third of the way is even safer). When you drop that buttermilk coated chicken into the hot grease, the oil will vigorously bubble and rise. Keeping the oil level low prevents a dangerous boil over.
INGREDIENTS & MY GO TO SWAPS
The Chicken
You’re using large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half. Cutting them gives you better sandwich sizes and more even cooking.
The Brine & Breading
You need buttermilk and kosher salt. If you are totally out of buttermilk, my exact swap is 1 cup of regular milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (let it sit for 5 minutes before using). If you’ve got time, brine overnight. If not, 4 hours still works.
The Slaw
This isn’t your sweet backyard BBQ slaw. It uses a base of buttermilk and mayo, balanced with rice vinegar. If you don’t have rice vinegar, standard white vinegar works.
The Heat
We use half a cup of pickled jalapeños. When I make it, a ½ cup of pickled jalapeños equals a solid “medium” heat for us. If you want it milder, cut that in half.
Bun Recommendations
A heavy duty fried chicken breast stacked with creamy slaw needs a bun that won’t immediately collapse. You want a sturdy, buttery brioche bun or something like a soft but hefty potato bun. I recommend checking out your grocer’s bakery section for fresh baked choices, because this will give you some of the best options.
HOW TO GET THAT CRIPSY COATING
I have the exact measurements and times in the recipe card at the bottom, but here are the some important things you need to look for so you nail it:
- Dredge (and avoid bald spots): When you move your chicken into the seasoned flour, use your hands to really press that flour into the meat. If you do the optional double dredge, let it sit on a wire rack for 5 minutes before frying. My biggest mistake the first time I made this was being impatient and dropping it straight into the oil – the coating slid right off!
- Fry (Temp & Sound): Heat your oil to 325 – 350 degrees. When you carefully drop the chicken in, you want to hear a steady, active sizzle. If it’s popping to much, it’s too hot.
- The Visual Cue for Doneness: Fry for 7 to 8 minutes. Before I even check the internal temperature (which should be 165 degrees), I look for the crust to turn a deep, rich, golden brown color. If it looks pale, it needs more time.
- Rest: Pull the chicken out and set it on a wire cooling rack. Don’t sit them on paper towels because they trap the steam and will instantly turn your crispy bottom crust into a soggy mess.
HOW TO KEEP THE SLAW COLD & CRUNCHY
Mix your buttermilk, mayo, sugar, and vinegar first so everything dissolves evenly before adding the cabbage. Because this slaw has buttermilk in it, it’s meant to be creamy and not dry and shredded.
A few small things help the texture:
- Chop the pickled jalapeños and cilantro evenly so you don’t get giant bites.
- Salt and pepper at the end.
- Keep it chilled until you’re ready to build the sandwiches.
TIPS TO PREVENT SOGGY BUNS
This is where a lot of sandwiches fall apart. The assembly order matters. If you put the wet slaw directly on the bottom bun, you’ll be eating a soggy sandwich in two minutes. Here is the exact build order that prevents soggy buns in my kitchen:
- Bottom Bun: Lightly toasted helps to keep it nice and sturdy (plus it’s delicious).
- Hot Fried Chicken: Place this directly on the bottom bun while it’s warm.
- Cold Jalapeño Slaw: Add a generous scoop right on top of the chicken.
- Top Bun: Add the top bun and eat immediately.
TROUBLESHOOTING & QUICK FIXES
Coating falling off or not crispy enough?
You may have skipped the resting step before frying or didn’t press the flour into the chicken, or your oil dropped way below 325 degrees. A food thermometer is definitely your friend with this one.
Not crispy enough?
Oil temp may have dropped below 325°F.
Too dark?
Your oil temperature probably crept up past 350 degrees. Turn the heat down slightly and let the temperature adjust.
Slaw watery?
Make sure you mixed the dressing fully before adding the cabbage and keep it refrigerated until serving. Warm slaw starts to release water.
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Plan Ahead – Slaw can be made a few hours ahead and kept chilled.
- Leftovers – If you have leftovers, store the chicken and the coleslaw in separate containers in the fridge.
- Reheating – Fried chicken is best fresh, but leftovers can be reheated in the oven or air fryer to help re-crisp the coating. I don’t recommend microwaving unless you’re okay with losing the crunchiness. To keep it crunchy, place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or pop it in an air fryer at 375 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes until heated through.
FAQs
Absolutely. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are actually a great shortcut because they are more forgiving and less likely to dry out. Just make sure they reach an internal temp of 165 degrees.
You can, but you won’t get that super crunchy texture compared to a good deep fry. For my preferred air fryer version, I spray the breaded chicken generously with cooking oil spray and air fry at 380 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway.
The buttermilk brine is really important for tenderizing the chicken, but if you need a dairy-free swap, use almond milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar for both the brine and the slaw dressing, and swap the mayo for a vegan alternative. You’re slaw may have a looser sauce base.
A QUICK NOTE FROM THE PORCH
Around the time I made this, my Pinterest timeline was filling up with pumpkin spice everything and hot soups. But in my neck of the woods, the car thermometer was still screaming 110 degrees.
So, while everyone else was putting on sweaters, I’m hanging out on the porch eating these truck stop style fried chicken sammiches because I wanted a good homemade diner special. I was thinking – Fall recipes will come eventually, friends. But for now? We’re frying chicken.
MORE SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN RECIPES
If you are looking to master the basics, you have to try my classic Buttermilk Fried Chicken, which uses the same foolproof dredging technique for that loud crunch.
For the ultimate sweet and savory weekend brunch, cook up a batch of these Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Buttermilk Peach Waffles.
Or, if you’re craving a good southern breakfast with a twist, swap out the bun and try my fluffy Fried Chicken Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich with Cilantro Jalapeño Slaw Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breast cut in half
Buttermilk Brine:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
Flour Mixture
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tablespoon season salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Additional 1 cup of buttermilk for double dredged chicken- optional
Slaw Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapenos
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 3 cups pre-shredded coleslaw mix
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
ADDITIONAL NEEDED INGREDIENTS
- Cooking Oil For deep frying
- 4 sandwich rolls/buns
Instructions
- Mix the buttermilk brine ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the chicken breast to the brine. Cover the bowl. Refrigerate up to four hours. (I usually just let my chicken brine overnight for maximum tenderness.)
- When ready to cook the chicken breast, Pour cooking oil into a deep fryer. Use the amount of grease per the manufacturer guide. Heat the oil until it reaches 325 to 350 degrees.
- While the oil heats up, Mix the flour ingredients together in a ziploc bag.
- Deep the chicken breasts into the flour mixture.
- To double dip and get a nice crunchy coating, at this time you can dip the chicken breast into the additional buttermilk and then dip the chicken back into the flour mixture. Let the chicken rest for about 5 to minutes while your grease heats to the proper temperature.
- To make the slaw, chop your jalapenos and cilantro and set aside. Mix the buttermilk for the slaw, sugar, mayonnaise, rice vinegar together in a medium bowl. Then mix in the slaw mix, chopped jalapenos and cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Place chicken breast into the deep fryer and fry for 7 to 8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees when you insert a cooking thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
- After the chicken cooks. Let the chicken rest on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes. (The cooling rack keeps the crispy skin from getting soggy.)
- Assemble the sandwiches then serve immediately.
Nutrition
Please note that I am not a nutritionist, and the nutritional information is an estimate only. It varies based on the products and brands used.
Thanks for stopping by! Welcome to the Savory Spicerack! In my kitchen, there is no such thing as a bland meal. Each of my creations are just the way food should be – packed with flavor and created with love.
This chicken makes my mouth water – can’t wait to try it! 😉
Delicious!!! I used my air fryer for the chicken, and my only change to the entire recipe, would be dip the chicken in the buttermilk one last time before putting it in the fryer. The chicken with the slaw on top was amazing.
Yay! I have to try this recipe in the air fryer now!!! So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for the air fryer tips!