Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm bite-sized pieces
- 240 ml buttermilk
- 30 ml hot sauce
Dredge
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g cornstarch
- 4 g cayenne pepper
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 6 g garlic powder
- 8 g kosher salt
- 4 g black pepper, freshly ground
Frying
- 1000 ml vegetable oil
Jalapeño Scallion Dressing
- 200 g mayonnaise
- 2 jalapeño, finely minced
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 721 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1699 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 24 g
- Cholesterol
- 141 mg
- Potassium
- 585 mg
- Calcium
- 108 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 55 mg
- Phosphorus
- 359 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 87 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 111 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.41 mg
- Niacin
- 7.9 mg
- Folate
- 32 mcg
- Water
- 192 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the bite-sized chicken pieces, buttermilk, and hot sauce. Stir to ensure all chicken is submerged. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, prepare the dressing. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, minced jalapeño, sliced scallions, lime juice, and salt until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
In a large shallow dish, thoroughly mix the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Pour the vegetable oil into a Dutch oven to a depth of about 5cm. Heat over medium-high heat until the deep fry thermometer registers 175°C/350°F.
Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk marinade a few at a nil time, letting the excess liquid drip off. Toss them into the seasoned flour mixture, pressing firmly so the dredge adheres and forms a thick crust.
Carefully lower the breaded chicken pieces into the hot oil in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried chicken to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Let the chicken cool completely to room temperature, about 30 minutes. This is crucial to prevent the hot chicken from splitting or melting the mayonnaise dressing.
Once cooled, transfer the crispy chicken pieces to a large mixing bowl. Pour the chilled jalapeño scallion dressing over the top and gently fold everything together until the chicken is thickly coated. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- The addition of cornstarch to the dredge is a non-negotiable technique for maintaining a resilient crunch even after the chicken is coated in the creamy dressing.
- Dark meat (chicken thighs) works best here because it remains incredibly juicy when cut into small bites and subjected to the high heat of deep frying.
- To build a 'shaggy' crust with lots of crispy bits, drizzle a spoonful of the buttermilk marinade into your dry flour mixture and rub it with your fingers before dredging the chicken.
- Using raw jalapeño gives a bright, grassy heat, but roasting the jalapeño beforehand introduces a mellow, smoky profile that pairs beautifully with the smoked paprika.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. The chicken will lose its crispy texture over time as it absorbs the dressing.
Troubleshooting
Dressing becomes oily or splits when mixed with chicken
Cause: The fried chicken was too hot when tossed with the mayonnaise.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed, but placing the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes and stirring vigorously can help re-emulsify slightly.
Prevention: Ensure the chicken cools completely to room temperature before combining.
Chicken breading falls off during frying
Cause: Chicken was tossed in the oil too aggressively or crowded in the pot.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Press the dredge firmly into the meat and let it rest in the flour for a minute before frying. Fry in smaller batches.
Salad is overwhelmingly spicy
Cause: Jalapeño seeds and ribs were included, or hot sauce was too concentrated.
Fix: Add a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt to the dressing to dilute the capsaicin.
Prevention: Carefully remove the white ribs and seeds from the jalapeño before mincing.
Cultural Context
This dish takes the beloved Southern staple of mayonnaise-bound chicken salad and reimagines it with the region's most iconic preparation: fried chicken. While traditional chicken salad utilizes poached or roasted birds to preserve tenderness, this modern iteration embraces textural contrast, balancing the rich, cooling mayonnaise dressing with the sharp spice and heavy crunch of freshly fried morsels.
