Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw Recipe

If you’re craving big flavor and crave-worthy crunch, these Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw are about to become your new obsession! Crispy, juicy chicken is bathed in tangy buffalo sauce, then piled high on a toasted bun with a creamy, just-fiery-enough blue cheese slaw and showered in spicy fried shallots for the grand finale. Each bite is as bold, messy, and satisfying as you’re hoping—trust me, this is what sandwich dreams are made of.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe’s ingredients are straightforward, but each one plays a starring role—bringing crunch, heat, creaminess, and tang to every layer. Don’t be intimidated by the list; you may already have much of what you need, and everything comes together surprisingly simply for sandwiches that taste like you spent all day cooking.

• Chicken Breasts or Thighs: Pounded thin for quick, even frying—choose your favorite for juiciness or classic texture.
• Kosher Salt: Adds essential seasoning throughout every layer for balanced flavor.
• Peanut Oil (or neutral oil): The best for that shatteringly crisp fried crust without overwhelming flavor.
• Buttermilk & Whole Milk: Tenderizes chicken and creates that signature Southern flavor in the breading.
• Hot Sauce (Texas Pete preferred): Puts the “buffalo” in the buffalo chicken and brings just the right burn.
• Lemon Juice: Adds brightness to both the marinade and the sauce for next-level zippiness.
• Egg: Helps the coating cling to every nook and cranny.
• All-Purpose Flour & Cornstarch: For a light-yet-hearty crust that stays crisp even after saucing.
• Paprika (regular & smoked): For color and subtle smokiness.
• Granulated Garlic, White Pepper, Black Pepper, Cayenne: These all amp up the flavor in ways you’ll notice with every bite.
• Unsalted Butter: Gives the buffalo sauce its velvety, glossy finish.
• Green & Purple Cabbage: The classic slaw base—vivid, crunchy, and refreshing with that blue cheese.
• Carrot: Adds a sweet crunch and gorgeous color contrast.
• Mayonnaise & Apple Cider Vinegar: For creamy, tangy blue cheese slaw that sings.
• Blue Cheese: Don’t skimp here—crumbled into the slaw for cooling richness.
• Granulated Sugar, Celery Seed, Fresh Cracked Black Pepper: Slaw essentials for brightness and depth.
• Shallots: Sliced thin and fried til golden, they’re the ultimate crispy topper.
• Hamburger Buns (homemade or store-bought): Toasted gently to hold in all that juicy, saucy goodness.

Variations

Making Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw is a choose-your-own-adventure journey—tweak the dish to match your cravings, or whatever’s in the pantry! It’s genuinely flexible, so feel free to play with textures, flavors, and spice levels.

• Bake Instead of Fry: You can oven-bake or air fry the chicken if you’re after a lighter version—just spritz with a little oil for crispness.
• Mild or Extra Hot: Swap the type of hot sauce, or add more cayenne if you want to dial the heat way up (or down for spice-shy palates).
• No Blue Cheese? Try feta or ranch dressing in the slaw for a milder, equally tangy flavor.
• Make It Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour for breading and fried shallots.
• Vegetarian Twist: Swap fried chicken for battered and fried cauliflower “steaks”—all the buffalo goodness, no poultry.

How to Make Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw

Step 1: Prep and Marinate the Chicken

Start by pounding your chicken pieces to a uniform ½-inch thickness for even frying. Season all over with kosher salt and set aside while you whisk up the buttermilk marinade—just combine buttermilk, milk, hot sauce, lemon juice, beaten egg, and a sprinkle of salt. Give the chicken a good soak (from 30 minutes up to overnight) so it stays juicy and tender under its crispy coating.

Step 2: Dredge and Double-Coat

Mix up your seasoned flour with cornstarch, two kinds of paprika, garlic, white and black pepper, and cayenne—this is where the flavor magic happens! Dredge each chicken piece in the flour, dip briefly in the buttermilk again, and re-dredge for a super-craggy, restaurant-style crust. Lay the chicken on a wire rack and let it rest; this step guarantees every piece absorbs all that flavor and crisps up perfectly.

Step 3: Make Buffalo Sauce and Slaw

While the breaded chicken rests, whip up the star components: Melt butter in a saucepan, then stir in hot sauce, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper—simmer briefly so everything melds. For the blue cheese slaw, just toss the shredded cabbage, carrot, mayo, vinegar, blue cheese, sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper together until rich and evenly coated. Cover and stash both until assembly time.

Step 4: Prepare and Fry the Shallots

Slice your shallots into thin rings and marinate them in buffalo sauce, a splash of buttermilk, salt, and pepper—this quick soak infuses them with flavor and tenderness. After at least 20 minutes of marinating, dredge the shallots in some leftover seasoned flour and fry until golden and crispy (just 2–3 minutes). These little toppers bring massive flavor and crunch!

Step 5: Fry the Chicken

Heat your frying oil to 350–375°F; working in batches, fry the coated chicken until deeply golden on both sides and cooked to at least 165°F inside (about 6–8 minutes per batch). Drain briefly on a wire rack and sprinkle with salt—this is when your kitchen will start smelling like your favorite wing joint, only better.

Step 6: Assemble Your Sandwiches

Toast the buns (homemade or your favorite store-bought), then layer with blue cheese slaw, freshly sauced chicken, more slaw if you dare, and a generous pile of spicy fried shallots. Top with the other half of the bun and marvel at what you’ve just created. Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw this good are totally worth the two-napkin mess.

How to Serve Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw

Garnishes

A few extra crumbles of blue cheese and a sprinkle of chopped chives or parsley brighten the top and add a little pop of fresh flavor. If you love heat, tuck a few extra dashes of hot sauce under the bun or scatter some extra fried shallots for an ultra-crunchy finish!

Side Dishes

Crispy fries or onion rings are classics for a reason, but don’t sleep on cooling cucumber salad, homemade pickles, or a pile of sweet potato chips. These Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw also pair surprisingly well with a crisp house salad or crunchy carrot and celery sticks—hello, wing night meets sandwich night!

Creative Ways to Present

Make sliders with smaller buns for parties, or stack the components on a giant board for a DIY sandwich bar—let everyone sauce and slaw their own. For game days, try serving the sauced chicken and slaw tucked in warm tortillas for unexpected (and messy!) buffalo chicken tacos.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store each sandwich component separately—chicken, sauce, slaw, and fried shallots—in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. This way, everything stays super fresh and nothing gets soggy before you’re ready for round two!

Freezing

The fried chicken freezes like a dream. If you know you won’t finish it all, pop cooled unsauced pieces into a freezer-safe container or bag; they’ll keep for up to a month. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature before reheating.

Reheating

To revive that restaurant-worthy crunch, reheat the chicken in a hot oven (400°F) or air fryer for about 6–8 minutes until crisp and heated through. Warm the buffalo sauce separately, toss only as much chicken as you’re eating immediately, and assemble fresh for the tastiest leftovers.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

I really can’t wait for you to taste these Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Slaw, because they hit every craving in one bite—crunchy, spicy, creamy, and totally satisfying. Dust off your apron, gather your friends or family, and dig in. I promise, this is a meal you’ll want on repeat all year long!

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