Lemon Pepper Wet Chicken Sandwich

Atlanta-style lemon pepper wet: panko-crusted chicken fried in olive oil, then dunked in buttery lemon pepper sauce. Stacked on a potato bun with shredduce, tomato and blue cheese dressing. A summer sandwich.

Ingredients

Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 T olive oil, 1 T lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning and a pinch of salt (marinade)
½ cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1½ cups panko mixed with 1 T lemon pepper seasoning
Olive oil for frying

Lemon pepper wet sauce

4 T butter
1–2 T lemon pepper seasoning
¼ cup lemon juice
2 T cayenne hot sauce (Frank's)
2 T honey
1 T Dijon mustard

Build

4 potato buns, toasted
2 cups shredduce (finely shredded iceberg)
2 tomatoes, sliced
½ cup blue cheese dressing

Instructions

Toss the thighs with the marinade and refrigerate about 1 hour.
Sauce: melt the butter, then whisk in the lemon pepper, lemon juice, hot sauce, honey and Dijon. Keep warm and whisk before using so it stays together.
Dredge the chicken in flour, dip in egg, then press into the lemon pepper panko.
Heat about ½ inch of olive oil to 350°F. Fry 4–5 minutes per side until golden and 165°F inside. Rest on a rack.
While still hot, dunk or brush each piece with the lemon pepper wet sauce and finish with a pinch more lemon pepper.
Build: bottom bun, blue cheese dressing, shredduce, tomato, wet chicken, a drizzle more sauce, top bun.

Plating

Sauce the chicken right before building so the crust stays crisp. Serve with fries and extra sauce on the side.

References

Inspired by The Food in My Beard.