Buff Chicken Sandwiches with Endive Salad

Chicken thighs with Frank’s, melted cheese and a blue cheese endive salad.

Prep
20 minutes
Cook
20 minutes
Serves
4
Est. cost / person
~$7
Est. calories / person
~900

Ingredients

Buffalo chicken

  • 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Frank’s RedHot, for serving
  • 4 brioche buns

Seasoned flour coating

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cheese (choose one or both)

  • 4 oz Vermont sharp white cheddar, thinly sliced
  • 4 oz crumbled blue cheese

Shallot vinaigrette

  • 2 shallots, finely minced
  • ¼ cup Champagne vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Shredded romaine

  • 2–3 leaves of romaine lettuce, very thinly sliced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Endive salad

  • 2–3 Belgian endives
  • ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
  • ¼ cup small-diced Vermont sharp white cheddar

Method

  1. Prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels.
  2. Make the seasoned flour. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, dry mustard, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  3. Start the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the minced shallots, Champagne vinegar, salt, and pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  4. Prepare the vegetables. Thinly slice the romaine into fine shreds and season lightly with salt and pepper. Trim the base from the endives. Peel away the leaves one layer at a time until you reach the small core. Discard the core and place the leaves in a serving bowl.
  5. Prepare the cheeses. Thinly slice the sharp white cheddar for the sandwiches and cut additional cheddar into a small dice for the endive salad. Set out the crumbled blue cheese.
  6. Cook the chicken. Heat a generous layer of olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Dredge each chicken thigh in the seasoned flour, coating all sides and shaking off the excess. Place the chicken in the hot nonstick pan and cook for 5–8 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  7. Finish the dressing. Slowly whisk the olive oil into the shallot-vinegar mixture until emulsified. Toss half of the dressing with the shredded romaine. Toss the remaining dressing with the endive leaves, then gently fold in the diced cheddar and crumbled blue cheese.
  8. During the final 2 minutes of cooking, top each piece of chicken with either sliced sharp cheddar or crumbled blue cheese. Cover the nonstick pan so the cheese melts.
  9. Toast the buns. As the chicken finishes cooking, create space in the nonstick pan and toast the cut sides of the brioche buns until lightly golden.
  10. Assemble the sandwiches. Spread Frank’s RedHot on both sides of the bun, top with the dressed shredded romaine, then the cheesy chicken thigh. Finish with the top bun.
  11. Serve. Serve the Buffalo chicken sandwiches alongside the endive salad.

Notes

  • Patting the chicken completely dry helps the seasoned flour develop a crisp, golden crust.
  • Letting the shallots sit in the vinegar before adding the olive oil mellows their bite and creates a more balanced vinaigrette.
  • Offering both sharp white cheddar and blue cheese lets everyone customize their sandwich.

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