Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich Recipe

This crispy fried buffalo chicken sandwich is served on a potato bun with a shaved celery slaw tossed in buttermilk blue cheese dressing. The fried chicken thigh is coated in buffalo sauce to ensure zesty flavor contrasted with the cooling creamy dressing studded with blue cheese crumbles in each bite. The addition of the homemade dressing helps to tame the heat. While I love making my own fried chicken, this recipe can be made with store-bought frozen chicken tenders reheated in the oven or air fryer as a shortcut for a quick weeknight dinner full of flavor. 

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich Recipe 

How to Make Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Step 1: Make the buttermilk blue cheese. 

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, garlic and pepper until combined. Stir in the blue cheese. Use or store refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.

Step 2: Heat oil and dredge chicken

Fill a large cast iron pan with vegetable oil so it reaches 2-inches up the pan. Heat the oil to 350°F (180ºC).

In a medium shallow bowl add the flour. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in another medium bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper. One piece at a time, dip chicken in the buttermilk mixture then dredge in the flour.

Step 3: Fry chicken. 

Shake off any excess flour and fry in the oil, flipping once, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined plate or baking cooling rack.

Step 4: Toss in buffalo sauce. 

When ready to serve, drizzle with buffalo sauce and toss to coat.

Step 5: Make celery slaw. 

Add the celery to a medium mixing bowl and toss with ⅓ cup of the blue cheese dressing.

Step 6: Assemble and serve.  

Add the buffalo coated fried chicken thighs to the bottom bun then top with celery slaw. Close the sandwiches and serve.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe 

Swaps and substitutions 

• If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, I recommend substituting a buttermilk ranch for the blue cheese dressing. 
• The celery slaw can be swapped for finely shaved green cabbage.
• For a lighter take on this buffalo chicken sandwich recipe feel free to swap the fried chicken for grilled chicken breasts or thighs. 

Shortcuts for this recipe 

There are a few ways to sandbag (create shortcuts) to make assembling these buffalo chicken sandwiches quicker. 

• Use frozen chicken tenders. Rather than frying your own chicken you can substitute store bought frozen chicken. You can also fry your own chicken and refrigerate or freeze it until ready to eat. I recommend reheating it in the oven or an air fryer until crispy. 

Troubleshooting Fried Chicken

• The chicken is too dark on the outside but raw inside. Your oil is too hot! Check the temperature of your oil with a thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer then add the end of a wooden stick into the oil. If small bubbles form around the wood then the oil is ready to fry. But if it is bubbling hard then the oil is too hot. The crust of the chicken will fry too fast and the inside won’t cook through. This can also happen if you cook the chicken directly from the fridge. The meat is too cold still and won’t cook evenly. 
• The chicken is oily and takes forever to cook. Your oil is too cold. Take breaks in between batches so the oil can come back to the desired temperature. Every time food is added to hot oil the temperature decreases drastically. Allowing time for it to heat back up again results in an even fry among batches. This could also happen if you are overcrowding the pan when you cook.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

For the buttermilk blue cheese:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup crumbled blue cheese

For the fried chicken:

• Vegetable oil, as needed, for frying
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 4 large boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 1 pound
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• ⅓ cup Buffalo sauce, of choice

For assembly and serving:

• 5 stalks celery shaved on the bias

Instructions:

For the buttermilk blue cheese:

• In a small mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, garlic and pepper until combined. Stir in the blue cheese.
• Use or store refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.

For the fried chicken:

• Fill a large cast iron pan with vegetable oil so it reaches 2-inches up the pan. Heat the oil to 350°F (180ºC).
• In a medium shallow bowl add the flour. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in another medium bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper. One piece at a time, dip chicken in the buttermilk mixture then dredge in the flour.
• Shake off any excess flour and fry in the oil, flipping once, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined plate or baking cooling rack.
• When ready to serve, drizzle with buffalo sauce and toss to coat.

For assembly:

• Add the celery to a medium mixing bowl and toss with ⅓ cup of the blue cheese dressing.
• Add the buffalo coated fried chicken thighs to the bottom bun then top with celery slaw. Close the sandwiches and serve.

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