Spenser loves those little fried-chicken sandwiches from fast-food places, so we thought we just had to take a stab at our own down-home remix. You would not believe how many of these bad boys folks can put away! The sweet-pickle mayo gives just the right tang to the crunchy and tender fried chicken. We like these sandwiches on soft dinner rolls, but you can also make mini-biscuits if you’re really feeling buttery bad.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 20 small sliders (2 to 3 per serving)
Ingredients
SWEET-PICKLE MAYO
Preparation
Step 1
Pour the peanut oil into your deep-fryer or Dutch oven, and preheat it to 350 degrees F. (For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.)
Step 2
Pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet until they are of even thickness, about 1/2 inch, then cut them into 2-inch bite-sized pieces.
Step 3
Pour the beaten eggs and the hot sauce into a shallow dish, and whisk to combine. Place the flour in another dish, and season with half of the kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the panko in a third dish, and season with garlic powder, lemon-pepper seasoning, cayenne, the remaining kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Step 4
Dredge the chicken through the seasoned flour, then the beaten eggs, and then, finally, through the seasoned panko, shaking off the excess.
Step 5
Fry the chicken in batches in the oil for 4 to 6 minutes, turning, until crisp and golden brown. Remove the pieces to a paper-towel-lined sheet tray to drain.
Step 6
Spread the sweet-pickle mayonnaise on the bottom and top of each sliced roll. Place a slice of tomato on top, and then the fried chicken. Top with the other half of the roll, and secure with a decorative bamboo skewer.
SWEET-PICKLE MAYO
Step 7
Blend the first three ingredients together in a bowl, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
ALTERNATIVE: Baked Chicken Sliders
Step 8
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a sheet tray with nonstick spray, and lay the breaded chicken pieces on it in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Assemble the sliders as in the main recipe.
