Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches from America's Test Kitchen

On Episode 13 of Season 25 of America’s Test Kitchen, Test Cook Sam Block makes Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches for Host Bridget Lancaster.

Why this works: For a sandwich that combined the spicy appeal of Buffalo wings with the crunch of classic fried chicken, we chose chicken breast, the leanness of which would allow the fiery hot sauce and tangy blue cheese dressing to shine. We dunked the meat in a generously salted egg mixture, not only to help the breading adhere but also to season the meat and keep it juicy. For the breading, we used all-purpose flour for crunch and added some cornstarch for crispness and baking powder for lightness. We mixed a small amount of buttermilk into the seasoned flour to create a shaggy coating that, after a rest in the refrigerator, adhered well to the chicken. This coating fried up into a satisfying crunchy crust with plenty of surface area for holding the maximum amount of buttery hot sauce, which we’d cooked down to thicken and intensify it. We spread only enough tangy blue cheese dressing on each sandwich to satisfy tradition and passed the remainder so that true enthusiasts could add extra. Shredded iceberg lettuce provided a cool, juicy contrast to the heat and tang of the chicken and the richness of the blue cheese spread.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon table salt
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded ½ inch thick

FOR THE BUFFALO SAUCE:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

FOR THE BLUE CHEESE SPREAD:
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce

Before you begin: Freezing the chicken breasts for 20 minutes will make them easier to halve horizontally. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. If you prefer less spice, reduce or omit the cayenne in the sauce. An inexpensive Danish blue cheese works well here.

TO PREPARE

CHICKEN
STEP ONE. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. In wide, shallow bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder. Drizzle buttermilk over flour mixture and mix with your fingers until combined and small clumps form. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs and salt.

STEP TWO. Working with one piece at a time, dip chicken in egg mixture and turn to coat. Lift from egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Coat both sides of chicken in flour mixture, pressing to form thick, bumpy coating. Place on prepared rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. While the chicken rests, make sauce and blue cheese spread.

BUFFALO SAUCE
STEP THREE. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add hot sauce (mixture may sputter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and spatula drawn across bottom of pan leaves trail that takes longer than 5 seconds to fill in, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.

BLUE CHEESE SPREAD
STEP FOUR. In small bowl, mash blue cheese with fork until no pieces larger than ¼ inch remain. Add mayonnaise and continue to mash until incorporated. Stir in buttermilk and vinegar until combined. Refrigerate until needed.

STEP FIVE. Place second wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 425 degrees. Carefully transfer all chicken to oil and fry until chicken registers at least 155 degrees, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to prepared rack. Using pastry brush, coat top of chicken with half of Buffalo sauce.

STEP SIX. Open buns on cutting board. Transfer one chicken piece, sauce side down, to each bun bottom,. Brush remaining Buffalo sauce over chicken. Top each chicken piece with ½ cup lettuce. Spread each bun top with 2 teaspoons blue cheese spread. Invert bun top onto each sandwich and serve, passing remaining blue cheese spread separately.