Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Marinate the chicken
- Combine the boneless, skinless chicken thighs with buttermilk and hot sauce, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight so the coating sticks evenly.
Make the flour coating
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until the seasoning is evenly distributed and the mixture looks speckled.
Fry until crisp
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet to 350°F, waiting until it reaches a steady frying temperature with active bubbling around a pinch of flour.
- Dredge each chicken thigh in the flour mixture and press to coat well so the surface looks thick and dusty.
- Fry the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side at 350°F, turning once, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack so steam escapes and the crust stays crisp.
Toss the tangy slaw
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and honey until smooth and glossy.
- Toss the cabbage and carrots with the tangy mayonnaise mixture until every strand is lightly coated and glossy.
Assemble sandwiches
- Toast the brioche buns so the cut sides turn golden and feel sturdy.
- Build each sandwich with a fried chicken thigh and a generous scoop of tangy slaw so the crunch shows at the edges.
Notes
For the crispiest coating, keep the oil at a steady 350°F and let the chicken drain on a wire rack without covering. If needed, store leftover fried chicken and slaw separately: refrigerate up to 3 days (freeze fried chicken up to 2 months; slaw up to 1 month in the freezer). To make it more tangy without extra sweetness, use honey at 1/2 tsp while keeping the apple cider vinegar the same—everything still balances well.