Versions of this iconic sandwich are ridiculously popular all over the world, and this is one of our favourites at Meatsmith. Do not forgo brining the chicken in buttermilk. It ensures you get the right ratio of soft and juicy at the core to the exterior’s crunchiness. Oh, and pay attention to your bun – soft and sweet is best (we like to use potato rolls). 

Serves six

INGREDIENTS

BRINED CHICKEN

600 ml buttermilk

4 eggs, whisked

50 g table salt

10 g smoked paprika

10 g ground black pepper

10 g ground cumin

10 g ground fennel

6 large (approximately 250 g each) skin-on boneless chicken thighs

SEASONED FLOUR

200 g plain flour

150 g cornflour

17 g baking powder

17 g table salt

15 g smoked paprika

15 g ground black pepper

15 g ground cumin

15 g ground fennel

TO SERVE

1 litre (4 cups) vegetable or canola oil, for deep-frying

6 burger buns, split

Assorted dill pickles, sliced

1 x jar of Meatsmith Chicken Glaze

1  x jar Meatsmith Ranch Dressing

For this recipe, you will need to prepare your chicken one day in advance.

To make the brined chicken:
To brine the chicken, combine the buttermilk, egg, salt and spices in a large container with a lid. Add the chicken, making sure it is completely submerged. Close or cover the container and set aside in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

To make the seasoned flour:
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

To cook the chicken and assemble the sandwich:
Heat the vegetable or canola oil in a large heavy-based saucepan until the temperature reaches 170C or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns brown in 15 seconds.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Working in batches, remove 3 pieces of chicken from the brine, shaking off any excess, then coat in the seasoned flour, pushing down to cover completely. Add to the pan and deep-fry for 5–8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 70C. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining chicken, allowing the oil to reheat to 170C each time.

Toast the buns in the oven for a few minutes. Brush the fried chicken with the chicken glaze. Place 4–5 slices of pickle on the base of each bun and top with a piece of fried chicken. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing onto the fried chicken and top with the lid. Serve immediately.