Ina Garten's Fried Chicken Sandwiches

I'm not saying that this will replace your love of the chicken sandwich from Chick Fil A or Popeyes but I am saying this is a REALLY good homemade contender.

I had never tried frying chicken so after I watched an episode of the Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like A Pro, I knew it was time to roll up my sleeves and give it a whirl. I'm happy to report that no one was injured during the making of this chicken sandwich.

Here is the same exact recipe from her website that I tried and is also listed below.

If you've never heard of this lovely lady, Ina Garten, then prepared to be amazed. She is not only adorable but she is amazing at all things in the kitchen. I love her because she isn't a classically trained chef, but she is a skilled home chef who has mastered things from lots of practice over the years.

Ina Garten reminds me that you don't have to go to cooking school to love cooking, or be good at it. This reminder takes some of the pressure out of making things perfect and allows me to focus on just having fun. I hope it will do the same for you.

Ina Garten's Fried Chicken Sandwiches with

Buttermilk Herb Mayo

Ingredients:

• 2 cups buttermilk, shaken

• 1 shallot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 jalapeño pepper (with seeds), halved lengthwise

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 2½ teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon celery salt

• 2 (48-ounce) bottles canola oil

• 6 potato hamburger buns, toasted, for serving

• Buttermilk Herb Mayo, for serving (recipe linked below)

• 6 Bibb lettuce leaves

• Kosher dill pickles, such as Claussen, thinly sliced, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, shallot, garlic, jalapeño, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

2. Place the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of parchment paper and, with a rolling pin or a meat mallet, pound them until they are evenly ½ inch thick.

3. Slice each piece of chicken in half crosswise so you have 2 pieces approximately the same size.

4. Place the chicken in the marinade, making sure each piece is well coated, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to (but not more than) 24 hours.

5. When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Set a wire rack on a sheet pan and place them in the oven.

6. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, celery salt, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1½ teaspoons black pepper and set aside.

7. Pour oil into a medium (9-inch round × 4½-inch high) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, until it is 2 inches deep.

8. Clip on a candy thermometer and heat the oil over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees.

9. Meanwhile, lift the chicken from the marinade, dredge it in the flour mixture, submerge it again in the marinade, then again in the flour mixture, lightly shaking off the excess.

10. Transfer the chicken to a plate or sheet pan until ready to fry.

11. When the oil is 350 degrees, carefully lower 3 pieces only into the oil with tongs and adjust the heat to keep the oil at 350 degrees. Don’t crowd the chicken! Cook for 5 minutes, turning once to brown evenly. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the sheet pan in the oven to keep warm.

12. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Sprinkle all the chicken with salt and keep warm for up to 15 minutes, until ready to serve.

To assemble, place the bottom of each bun on a plate, spread with some of the Buttermilk Herb Mayo, then a lettuce leaf, 4 pickle slices, then a piece of chicken.

Spread the underside of the top bun generously with more of the mayo and place on top of the chicken, mayo side down.

Serve while the chicken is still warm.