Crispy Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich with Comeback Sauce Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you start, ensure the chicken breasts are pounded to an even thickness for uniform cooking. Set up a dredging station with the flour mixture and the buttermilk brine.

Have your oil heating in a large skillet or Dutch oven, and line a wire rack on a baking sheet to hold the fried chicken. Prepare the comeback sauce and coleslaw if not using store-bought, and have all your sandwich components ready for assembly.

Instructions

Brining and Dredging

1. 1Brine the Chicken
   Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pickle juice, and cayenne pepper. Add the chicken, turning to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
   Look for The chicken should be fully submerged in the brine.
   Tip Pounding ensures even cooking and maximum crispiness.
2. 2Prepare the Dredge
   In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
   Look for The dredge should be well combined and seasonally fragrant.
   Tip The cornstarch helps create those craggy, crispy flakes.

At the end of this phase, the chicken is marinating in the buttermilk mixture and the dredge is ready. The brine should be pinkish from the cayenne, and the chicken should be fully submerged.

The flour dredge should be well mixed and seasoned, with a uniform color. The kitchen will smell of cayenne and garlic, a sign of good things to come.

Frying and Glazing

3. 3Dredge the Chicken
   Remove the chicken from the brine, letting any excess drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. For an extra-thick crust, dip back into the buttermilk mixture and dredge again.
   Look for The chicken should be completely coated with no bare spots.
   Tip Double dredging creates the signature craggy texture.
4. 4Heat the Oil
   In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
   Look for The oil should shimmer and a pinch of flour sizzles immediately.
   Tip Maintaining the oil temperature is key to a crispy crust.
5. 5Fry the Chicken
   Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for about 6 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
   Look for The crust should be deeply golden and the chicken juices run clear.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Don't move the chicken too soon; let the crust set.
6. 6Make the Spicy Glaze
   In a small bowl, whisk together the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, and garlic powder. Carefully ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil into the spice mixture and whisk until smooth and fragrant.
   Look for The glaze should be a thick, reddish paste with a spicy aroma.
   Tip The hot oil blooms the spices, releasing their flavor.

The chicken is fried to a deep golden brown and the glaze is sizzling as it hits the hot oil. The kitchen will be filled with the aroma of spicy, fried chicken. The crust should be very crispy to the touch, and the glaze should be glossy and fragrant. The chicken should be cooked through, with no pink remaining.

Assembling the Sandwich

7. 7Coat the Chicken
   Immediately brush or spoon the spicy glaze all over the fried chicken cutlets while they are still hot.
   Look for The glaze should cling to the crispy crust, making it glossy.
   Tip Coating while hot helps the glaze soak into the crust.
8. 8Toast the Buns
   Split the brioche buns and toast them cut-side down in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and lightly crisp.
   Look for The buns should have light grill marks and a toasty aroma.
   Tip Toasting adds texture and prevents sogginess.
9. 9Assemble the Sandwiches
   Spread a generous amount of comeback sauce on the bottom half of each bun. Top with dill pickle chips, the glazed chicken cutlet, and a pile of creamy coleslaw. Finish with the top bun.
   Look for The sandwich should be tall, colorful, and saucy.
   Tip The cool coleslaw balances the heat of the chicken.

The buns are toasted, the sauce is spread, and the sandwiches are stacked tall with pickles, hot chicken, and coleslaw. The colors are vibrant: golden bun, red glaze, green pickles, and white slaw. The sandwich should look irresistible, with the coleslaw peeking out from the bun. The first bite should deliver a satisfying crunch.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is not letting the oil come back up to temperature between batches, which results in greasy, soggy chicken. Another is dredging the chicken too lightly or not pressing the flour on firmly enough, leading to a thin crust that doesn't hold the glaze.

Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and steams the chicken instead of frying it. Also, be sure to coat the chicken with the spicy glaze while it's still hot, so the glaze adheres well.

How to tell it’s done

The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, and the crust is deep golden brown and very crispy. The juices should run clear when pierced.

To test the oil temperature, drop a pinch of flour into the oil; it should sizzle immediately. The glaze should be fragrant and clinging to the chicken, and the buns should be toasted and slightly crisp.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part