Pickle Brined Fried Chicken Sliders (Print Version)
Crispy pickle-brined chicken on soft slider buns — tangy, juicy, and golden brown comfort food.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into slider-sized pieces
02 - 1 cup dill pickle brine (from a jar of pickles)
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
→ Breading
04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 cup buttermilk
→ For Frying
12 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying
→ Slider Assembly
13 - 8 slider buns
14 - 8 dill pickle slices
15 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
16 - Lettuce leaves
# How To Make It:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken pieces, dill pickle brine, and hot sauce if using. Cover tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Remove the chicken pieces from the brine and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels to ensure proper breading adhesion.
03 - In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Pour the buttermilk into a separate shallow bowl.
04 - Dredge each chicken piece in the seasoned flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk, and return to the flour mixture for a double coating. Press firmly to ensure complete, even coverage on all sides.
05 - Pour approximately 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven. Heat the oil to 350°F, using a thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately.
06 - Carefully lower the breaded chicken pieces into the hot oil in small batches. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet tray to drain.
07 - Lightly toast the slider buns in a dry skillet or under a broiler until just golden on the cut sides.
08 - Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the bottom half of each toasted bun. Layer on a crisp lettuce leaf, a piece of hot fried chicken, and a dill pickle slice. Cap with the top bun half and serve immediately while warm and crispy.
# Handy Tips:
01 -
- The pickle brine does all the heavy lifting for flavor and tenderness, no complicated marinades needed.
- That double dip breading creates a crust so loud you can hear it across the room.
02 -
- Do not skip patting the chicken dry after brining or the breading will slide right off during frying.
- Using a thermometer for the oil changed everything for me because guessing always led to burnt outsides and raw centers.
03 -
- Chicken thighs are more forgiving than breasts and stay juicy even if you accidentally fry them a minute too long.
- Let the breaded chicken rest for 5 minutes on a plate before frying so the coating adheres properly instead of floating off in the oil.