Southern Style Chicken Sandwich
Did you have a good Thanksgiving? It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving 2020 has come and gone already. Although we had a very quiet Thanksgiving this year, it was still a great one. Mike and I went over to my mom’s. Her boyfriend Dave was there as well, and we celebrated just the four of us. My mom made a feast, as usual. My contributions were creamed onions and pumpkin pie. Mike decided to make a meat pie at the last minute. We’re still eating leftovers and I am in heaven. I’m fairly confident I’d give someone a kidney before I gave them any of my Thanksgiving leftovers. My mom’s food is just SO good so we’re savoring every bit.
Before we dive headfirst into all the holiday things, I first had to share this insanely delicious chicken sandwich. I don’t want to say this is my favorite recipe on my blog to date, but it’s definitely up there. I’m not even surprised. Anything that comes out of my air fryer is bound to be delicious, and this chicken sandwich is no exception.
In high school I used to eat at McDonald’s constantly. It’s fine, I’ll own it. Back then, they had a sandwich on the menu that very well may have also been called a “Southern Style Chicken Sandwich.” It was definitely Southern-something, and there was fried chicken involved. It was DELICIOUS. So delicious, that I ordered it every single time I went there. Does McDonald’s still have this sandwich on the menu? My goodness it was a treat to behold.
Fear not! I’ve taken that sandwich and I’m telling you how to make it here. True to The Hungry Hungry Hiker form, however, my version is way better for you, and cheaper too. Just don’t skimp on the pickles, okay? It’s the pickles that really seal the deal for me with this sandwich.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and lay them out on a flat surface. Use kitchen shears to trim off the excess fat. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the top of the thighs and use a meat tenderizer to pound each chicken thigh to roughly equal thickness. They don't have to be perfect, but this step does help make the sandwiches more juicy and tender so it's well worth it!
- Use the sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, and 1 tsp of paprika to season the chicken thighs on both sides. Place the chicken thighs in a large bag for marinating, and cover with the 3/4 cup pickle juice. Massage the bag for a minute or two to make sure the juice reaches all of the thighs. Place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
- When ready to cook, place the almond flour, baking soda, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 tsp paprika in a shallow bowl. Whisk with a fork to combine.
- Crack the eggs into a second shallow bowl. Whisk with a fork and add in the unsweetened almond milk.
- Line the insert of your air fryer basket with parchment paper and cut the paper to size to fit inside the basket if necessary.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and dry completely with paper towels. When dry, dip the thigh into the egg mixture on both sides and shake off the excess. Dredge the thigh in the almond flour mixture so that it is completely coated, again shaking off the excess. Place in the air fryer basket. Repeat with remaining thighs, making sure to keep room in between the thighs as your air fryer basket will allow.
- Air fry at 380° F for 10 minutes. Remove and use tongs to carefully turn each thigh over. Some of the batter will stick to the parchment paper and that is okay. Air fry at 380° F for 10 minutes more until batter is crispy and thighs are cooked through.
- To serve, let cool slightly and then place thighs on bun of choice. Top with mayo and pickle chips to your liking. Serve hot and enjoy!
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