Crispy Onion Chicken Sandwich (Print Version)

Buttermilk-marinated fried chicken topped with crispy onions and garlic aioli on a toasted brioche bun.

# Ingredients List:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Breading

07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Crispy Onions

12 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
13 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - Vegetable oil for frying

→ Aioli

17 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
18 - 1 large garlic clove, minced
19 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
20 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
21 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Assembly

22 - 4 brioche buns, sliced
23 - Butter for toasting buns, optional
24 - Lettuce leaves, optional

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together buttermilk, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Add chicken thighs and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
02 - Combine flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish and mix until uniform.
03 - Toss sliced onions with flour, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl until evenly coated.
04 - Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350°F. Working in batches, fry onions for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
05 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Dredge each thigh in the breading mixture, pressing firmly to ensure adhesion.
06 - Fry breaded chicken in the same hot oil for 5 to 7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Place on a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil.
07 - Combine mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
08 - Optional step: Butter brioche buns and toast in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown.
09 - Spread aioli on both halves of each bun. Layer with lettuce if desired, place fried chicken on the base, top with a generous portion of crispy onions, and cap with the upper bun.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttermilk marinade turns ordinary chicken thighs into something so tender and flavorful you'll wonder why you ever bothered with breasts.
  • Those crispy onions aren't just garnish, they're the sweet, crunchy chaos that makes every bite different and exciting.
  • The garlicky aioli cuts through all that richness and pulls everything together without being fussy or complicated.
  • It tastes like something you'd wait in line for at a food truck, but you're making it in your own kitchen wearing pajama pants.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cornstarch in the breading, it's the difference between a crust that stays crisp and one that goes limp and sad after five minutes.
  • Let the chicken rest on a wire rack after frying, not paper towels alone, so air circulates and the bottom doesn't get soggy.
  • Fry your onions in small batches or they'll steam instead of crisp, patience here pays off in crunch.
  • If your oil isn't hot enough, the breading will absorb grease and turn heavy instead of light and crunchy, use a thermometer.
03 -
  • Press the breading onto the chicken firmly with your hands so it really sticks, loose breading falls off in the oil and makes a mess.
  • If you're making these for a crowd, fry the chicken ahead of time and reheat it in a 350°F oven for five minutes to crisp it back up.
  • Save any leftover aioli in the fridge, it's incredible on fries, burgers, or stirred into scrambled eggs the next morning.
  • Double the onions, you'll eat half of them straight off the paper towels before they ever make it onto a sandwich.
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