Most of us tend to stick with the same recipe and we may even have our own favorite recipes that we cycle through on a weekly basis. From time to time, however, we run into a recipe idea that we may never have considered before. That is the case with the chickle. It is a lot of fun and absolutely delicious.
If you never tried a fried pickle before, you are really in for a special treat. This particular pickle was done Nashville-style and it really is a matter of making a pickle into a bun that holds all of the deliciousness on the inside. They don’t take much time to make but then again, they disappear rather quickly when they are on the plate in front of you.
Ingredients:
For the brine:
1 cup sliced dill pickles
1 cup dill pickle juice
1/2 cup water
¼ cup kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
For the hot chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
4 eggs, beaten
Canola oil, for frying
For the spicy oil:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups canola oil
6-8 jumbo dill pickles (or 16 large pickles)
Directions:
Start by placing the chicken in a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
Prepare the brine in a blender by combining the pickles, pickle juice, water, salt, and sugar, until smooth. Pour the brine over the chicken and seal the bag. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours to overnight.
Remove the chicken from the brine and lay the chicken in a single layer, on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, for 1 hour.
To make the hot chicken, in a large bowl, combine the flour, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the beaten eggs, then the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess flour. Return the chicken to the wire rack, reserving the seasoned flour, then chill another 30 minutes.
To make the spicy oil, in a medium mixing bowl, combine all the spices. Add the oil and whisk vigorously until all the spices have dissolved into the oil. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.
Dredge the chicken in the reserved flour once more, and return them to the wire rack. Chill in the fridge for a final 30 minutes.
Prepare a new baking sheet with a clean wire rack and set aside. Preheat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 340 degrees.
Working in two batches, lay the chicken in the hot oil, and cook for a few minutes, carefully moving around in the fryer to ensure all sides are covered while cooking. Continue to cook until each piece is deep brown, and a meat thermometer inserted into the deepest part registers 160 degrees, about another 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the wire rack and repeat with the remaining pieces. Keep warm in the oven on a low heat.
Carefully chop the chicken into pieces.
Slice a large dill pickle length-wise being sure not to cut all the way through to form a “bun.” Carefully place spoonfuls of chopped chicken down the length of the pickles, then drizzle the prepared spicy oil on the chicken.
Serve immediately.