Makes 4 to 6 sandwiches.
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
1 and 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
All-purpose flour
Large eggs (Room temp)
Vegetable or canola oil
Salted butter
Mayonnaise
Sweet relish
Tomato paste
Vinegar
Molasses
Honey
Mesquite liquid smoke
Seasonings
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul Prudhomme’s poultry magic
Granulated onion
Granulated garlic
Cayenne pepper
4 Hamburger buns
Tools you’ll need
4-quart pot or deep fryer
Thermometer (If using a 4-quart pot)
Mesh Straining spoon
Pastry brush
Cooling rack with an 11 by 17-inch baking pan underneath it
Preparation of ingredients
Barbecue sauce
Step 1-Add 6 ounces tomato paste, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 cup mesquite liquid smoke, 3 tablespoons molasses, 2 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning into a medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients with a whisk until combined.
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 2- Add barbecue sauce into a small pot. Let get hot for 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Once done turn your fire off and let the barbecue sauce cool completely.
Chicken thighs
Step 3- Add boneless chicken thighs into a mesh strainer. Rinse with cold water. Once done trim off any excess fat and place into a medium sized bowl. From there add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chef Paul Prudhomme’s poultry magic, 2 teaspoons granulated onion, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce. Coat the seasonings and the barbecue sauce onto the boneless chicken thighs with your hands. Cover bowl with a lid. Place into fridge for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
Seasoned egg batter
Step 4- Add 3 large eggs (Room temp), 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion, 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic, and 1 teaspoon barbecue sauce into a medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients together with a whisk until combined and set aside.
Seasoned all-purpose flour batter
Step 5- Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 or 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 2 teaspoons chef Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry magic, 3 teaspoons granulated onion, 3 teaspoons granulated garlic, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper into a large bowl or tubber ware with a lid. Stir all ingredients together until combined and set aside.
Heating the oil
Preheat fire to medium heat. (If using the 4-quart pot), Preheat your deep fryer to 375 degrees. (If using a deep fryer)
Note- Make sure you have your cooling rack with an 11 by 17-inch baking pan underneath it ready before you start frying your boneless chicken thighs.
Step 6- Add 48 fluid ounces of vegetable or canola oil into a 4-quart pot (With thermometer fitted on the side of the pot). If you are using a deep fryer add the amount of oil according to the deep fryer’s instructions on how much oil to add. You don’t need a thermometer if you are using a deep fryer. Let the oil get hot until the temperature of the oil is 375 degrees F.
Breading and frying the boneless chicken thighs
Step 7- Take the boneless skinless chicken thighs (2 at a time) and add them into the seasoned egg batter. Coat the boneless chicken thighs with the seasoned egg batter. Remove the boneless chicken thighs from the seasoned egg batter and shake them slightly as you want a light coating. Transfer the boneless chicken thighs into the seasoned all-purpose flour batter. Cover the bowl or tubber ware with a lid. Shake the bowl or tubber ware to coat the chicken thighs with the seasoned all-purpose flour batter. Remove the boneless chicken thighs from the seasoned all-purpose flour batter. Shake the chicken pieces slightly as you want a light coating.
Important note- Frying times vary depending on the size of the chicken thighs, your stove or deep fryer’s settings and the temperature of your oil.
Step 8- Add chicken thighs into hot oil. Let fry for 8 minutes.
Step 9- Remove the boneless chicken thighs from the hot oil with a mesh straining spoon. Wait a few seconds to allow the oil to drain back into the pot. Transfer the fried chicken pieces onto a cooling rack with an 11 by 17-inch baking pan underneath it. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Coating the boneless chicken thighs with the barbecue sauce
Step 10- Add each piece of fried boneless chicken thigh (One at a time) into the barbecue sauce. Carefully coat the chicken pieces with the barbecue sauce. Transfer back onto the cooking rack with an 11 by 17-inch baking pan underneath it. Let sit until the sandwich is ready to be assembled.
Toasting the hamburger buns
Step 11- Turn each hamburger bun on its side and cut the hamburger in half separating the top and bottom portions with a serrated knife. If you are using store made hamburger buns, you don’t have to follow this step.
Step 12- Melt 2 tablespoons salted butter. Generously brush butter onto the top and bottom portions of your hamburger buns.
Preheat fire to medium high heat.
Step 13- Let a 10-inch round cast iron skillet or a regular sized frying pan get hot for 2 minutes. Add top portions of the hamburger buns into the skillet or frying pan. Lightly press the hamburger bun into the skillet or frying pan and move it around in a circular motion. Let sear for 30 seconds or until the hamburger buns are a nice golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Assembling your chicken sandwich
Step 14- Spread a generous amount of mayonnaise on to the top portion or each hamburger bun. Spread 1 or 2 tablespoons of sweet relish onto the top portion of each hamburger bun. Spread around as evenly as possible.
Step 15- Add the barbecue coated boneless fried chicken thighs onto the bottom portion of each hamburger bun. Take the top portion of hamburger bun and place it directly on top of the boneless fried chicken thighs and press down. After the sandwiches are assembled, they are ready to be served.
YouTube instructional video
