Spicy Chicken Sandwich Creamy Sauce (Printable)

Ultra-crispy spicy fried chicken with creamy homemade sauce on buttery brioche bun, topped with fresh pickles and lettuce.

# What you need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - 1 teaspoon paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

→ Dredge

09 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
11 - 1 teaspoon paprika
12 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
13 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
14 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Frying

17 - 3 cups vegetable oil

→ Creamy Homemade Sauce

18 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
19 - 1/4 cup sour cream
20 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce
21 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
22 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
23 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
24 - 1 teaspoon honey
25 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly & Service

26 - 4 brioche burger buns
27 - 8 dill pickle slices
28 - 4 lettuce leaves
29 - 1 small tomato, sliced

# How to make it:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add pounded chicken breasts, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
02 - In a shallow dish, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Position a wire rack over a sheet pan for draining fried chicken.
04 - Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Coat each piece thoroughly in the dredge mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. For extra crunch, dredge each piece a second time.
05 - Carefully place breaded chicken into hot oil. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes per side until deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Transfer to the wire rack to drain excess oil.
06 - In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, hot sauce, lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Lightly toast brioche buns until golden and warm.
08 - Spread creamy sauce generously on both sides of each toasted bun. Layer with crispy fried chicken, dill pickle slices, fresh lettuce, and tomato slices. Serve immediately with additional sauce on the side.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The double-dredge technique gives you shatteringly crisp coating that stays crunchy even after it cools.
  • Marinating in spiced buttermilk makes the chicken so tender you can cut it with the edge of your bun.
  • The homemade sauce is tangy, smoky, and just sweet enough to tame the cayenne without killing the kick.
  • It reheats beautifully in a hot oven, so you can make extras and actually look forward to leftovers.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating time; an hour is the bare minimum, and overnight makes the chicken noticeably more tender and flavorful.
  • Press the dredge on firmly and let the coated chicken rest for a minute before frying so the coating sets and doesn't slough off in the oil.
  • Keep the oil temperature steady by frying in batches and giving it time to recover between pieces.
03 -
  • Use a cast-iron skillet if you have one; it holds heat beautifully and gives you the most consistent frying temperature.
  • Let the chicken rest on the counter for fifteen minutes before frying so it cooks more evenly and doesn't cool the oil too much when it hits the pan.
  • If the coating isn't sticking well, add a tablespoon or two of the marinade to the dredge and work it in with your fingers to create little clumps that fry up extra crunchy.
Go back