McChicken-style crispy chicken sandwich

Ingredients

Chicken

• 4 chicken breast fillets, butterflied to 1 cm thick
• 200 ml buttermilk
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper

Crust

• 150 g plain flour
• 50 g cornflour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper

To assemble

• 4 sesame-free soft buns
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 100 g iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• Oil for shallow frying

Method

1. Brine. Soak the chicken in buttermilk with salt and pepper for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the fridge).
2. Dry mix. Combine flour, cornflour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper in a shallow bowl.
3. Dredge. Lift each chicken piece out of the buttermilk, let excess drip, then press firmly into the dry mix. Coat both sides.
4. Fry. Heat 1 cm of oil to 175°C. Fry chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through.
5. Toast buns. Spread mayo on the cut sides. Toast in a dry pan until golden.
6. Assemble. Bottom bun → shredded lettuce → chicken → top bun.

Tips

• The buttermilk soak is non-negotiable. Plain water + flour = tough chicken. Buttermilk = tender, well-seasoned, clingy crust.
• Press the flour coating firmly so it forms a craggy, irregular crust — that’s the texture you’re after.
• Cook on a wire rack after frying, not on paper. Paper traps steam and softens the crust.