Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Blue Cheese-Ranch Dressing

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

4 of your favorite buns

fresh cilantro

bread & butter pickle chips

vegetable oil, for frying (enough to submerge chicken)

BUTTERMILK MARINADE

4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne

Garlic salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

FLOUR MIX

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

SPICY BUFFALO SAUCE

1 cup hot sauce (I use Frank’s Original)

2 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoon sriracha

2 tablespoon butter, melted

BLUE CHEESE-RANCH COLESLAW

1 bag coleslaw mix

Blue Cheese-Ranch Dressing (recipe follows)

Combine chicken with buttermilk marinade ingredients. Mix well and let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Meanwhile, mix buffalo sauce ingredients in a small bowl and coleslaw mix in another small bowl. Keep in the fridge until ready to prepare. Prep flour mixture in a shallow bowl and set aside.

Remove thighs from the marinade and let excess batter drip into the bowl. Place chicken in the flour mix, flipping to evenly coat. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Bring oil to 350°F in a medium-sized saucepan. Check temp with a digital, probe thermometer. You want enough oil to fully submerge the chicken. If not, you must flip halfway through, or use a deep fryer, if you have one. Carefully place chicken in the oil and deep fry for 12-14 minutes. Remove and let rest on a paper towel-lined plate for 10 minutes. Make sure the chicken internal temp is 165°F.

While the chicken is resting, oil or butter and toast the buns on a skillet or grill. Submerge the chicken in the hot sauce and make sure its fully coated. Build sandwich starting with the bottom bun, coleslaw, spicy chicken thigh, dill pickles, and a small bunch of cilantro (stems are edible). Top with the bun and serve with bread & butter pickles.

Blue-Cheese-Ranch Dressing

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

1 small garlic clove, pressed

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon hot sauce (I like Crystal)

Combine all ingredients in a 1-qt. glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake vigorously to blend. Chill 30 minutes. Refrigerate in covered jar up to 1 week. Shake well before serving.