Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Spicy Slaw

Let's Cook

1. 1Start the oven fries

   35 min

   Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the russet potatoes lengthwise into wedges about 1/2 inch thick at the widest edge. Toss on a sheet pan with the olive oil, a big pinch of salt, a pinch of the smoked paprika, and black pepper. Spread them in one layer with space between — crowded wedges steam and stay soft. Roast 30 to 35 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark. They are ready when the cut faces are deep golden and blistered-looking and a fork slides into the center with no resistance.

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   Keep the wedges the same thickness. A pan of mixed sizes gives you burnt thin ones and undercooked thick ones by the time the timer goes off.

2. 2Brine the chicken

   15 min

   While the oven heats, whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the chicken thighs and push them down until fully submerged, unfolding any that are curled. Let them sit at least 15 minutes while you do everything else.

3. 3Make the spicy slaw

   In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, and sriracha until glossy and pourable. Taste it: sharp first, then sweet, then hot. Add the coleslaw mix and toss until every shred looks slick and there are no dry patches and no dressing pooling at the bottom. Season with salt and black pepper, then refrigerate. It will slump and lose about a quarter of its volume as it sits — that's correct.

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   Start with 1 teaspoon sriracha, taste, and add more only after the cabbage is dressed — the vegetables mute the heat considerably.

4. 4Set up the breading station

   In a wide shallow bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Spoon in 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk brine and rake it through with a fork until you have pea-sized clumps scattered through the powder.

5. 5Bread the chicken

   5 min

   Lift a thigh from the brine and let it drip for a count of three. Press it hard into the flour on both sides and around the edges, then scoop clumps on top and press them in. Shake off loose dust and set it on a wire rack. Repeat with all four. Rest 5 minutes: the coating should go from powdery to slightly pasty, which is what glues it on.

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   Use one hand for the wet chicken and the other for the flour. Two wet hands turn the whole dredge into paste.

6. 6Fry the chicken

   6 min

   Pour vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1 inch and heat to 350°F (175°C) — a pinch of the flour mix should sizzle on contact without browning instantly. Lower in two thighs and don't touch them for 3 minutes. Fry 5 to 6 minutes per side; the bubbling will be loud and steady, then quiet as moisture cooks off. They're done when the crust is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Move to a wire rack and salt immediately, then bring the oil back to 350°F and fry the second pair.

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   No thermometer for the oil? Drop in a scrap of bun; it should brown in about 45 seconds. The chicken still needs a real temperature check.

7. 7Toast the buns

   2 min

   Spread the butter on the cut sides of the brioche buns. Toast cut-side down in a dry skillet over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes, until golden with darker rings and smelling toasted. Watch closely — brioche has sugar in it and goes from tan to black fast.

8. 8Assemble and serve

   Put a thigh on each bun bottom, lay pickle slices over the chicken, then pile on a generous mound of slaw. Press the top on gently and serve right away with the oven fries.

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   Season the fries with salt again the second they come out of the oven, while the surface is still oily enough to hold it.