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A beer battered chicken sandwich topped with slaw on a white plate on top of a paper napkin on a wooden table with a glass of beer in the background.
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5 from 1 vote

Beer-Battered Fried Chicken Sandwich

This beer-battered chicken sandwich, which has chicken breasts coated in an airy tempura-like batter and tucked inside a tender sesame seed bun with plenty of lime slaw, is truly irresistible.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Resting Time5 hours
Total Time5 hours 40 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Southern
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 330

Equipment

  • Deep-fry or candy or instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

For the brine

  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 3 cups cold water
  • 1 white onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups ice
  • 6 to 8 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch

For the beer batter

  • Peanut oil or a combination of peanut and canola oil, for frying
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups beer, preferably a brown ale
  • Lime Slaw, for serving
  • 6 to 8 sesame seed buns
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the brine

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the kosher salt, sugar, and water over medium-low heat and whisk until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat and stir in the onion and the ice. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag. As soon as the brine has cooled and the ice has melted, pour it over the chicken, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours.

Make the beer batter

  • In a deep fryer or large, deep stock pot, heat 3 inches peanut oil over medium-high heat until it registers 335°F (168°C). Place a rimmed baking sheet near the fryer and place a wire rack on the sheet. Remove the chicken from the brine and drain it, discarding the brine.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and beer.
  • Dip the chicken pieces in the batter, allowing any excess to drip off. Carefully add the chicken to the oil. Depending on the size of your fryer, you may need to fry the chicken in 2 batches. Fry the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes per side, until golden brown on the surface and cooked through. You want to keep an eye on the thermometer and maintain an oil temperature of 320°F to 325°F (160°C to 163°C).
  • Using tongs, transfer the chicken to the clean wire rack. Shimmy the fried chicken on the sesame seed buns and top with the slaw.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 5324mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g