How do you get bold pickle flavor deep inside your fried chicken? We wanted a fried chicken sandwich where pickle juice was front and center. Adding brine in two separate stages achieved this. We started by soaking boneless thighs in pickle juice fortified with fresh dill, garlic, and dry mustard. Then we dredged the thighs in a seasoned flour dredge. We added a little pickle brine to the flour mixture for more pickle flavor and to create bits that would fry up craggy and crisp. We refrigerated the breaded thighs to help the coating stay on during frying. Just 10 minutes in the oil resulted in crispy, golden-brown chicken. We coated the fried chicken with a combination of mayonnaise, chili crisp, water, and a little sugar to balance the spice for a version with irresistible heat. For a bright-fresh finish, we added pickled cucumber slices.
