Crispy buffalo chicken sandwich with homemade blue cheese dressing

Salt the thighs on both sides and set aside.

Whisk the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika and garlic powder together.

Drizzle about a quarter cup of buttermilk into the seasoned flour and whisk to make clumps of hydrated flour; the mix should stay dry and powdery but clumpy.

Dust a thigh in the plain flour, shake off the excess, lay it into the buttermilk and flip with tongs for even coverage.

Move it into the clumpy breading, shake and flip by hand, pressing lightly so the breading sticks.

Rest the breaded thighs on a sheet tray five to 10 minutes so the flour hydrates; bread the rest.

Heat two quarts of neutral oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.

Combine buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, salt and egg yolk in a tall container and blend with an immersion blender.

Drizzle in the oil slowly to emulsify, stopping to work loose oil in from the top if the dressing thickens.

Blend in 50 g of crumbled blue cheese for 10 to 15 seconds until relatively creamy, then stir in the rest.

Combine hot sauce, minced garlic, Worcestershire and vinegar in a small saucepan.

Whisk over medium high heat and simmer four to five minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly and the garlic has lost its raw edge.

Whisk in the cubed butter; add an optional pinch of xanthan gum to keep the sauce from breaking.

Fry at 350F, 175C: lay the thighs in away from you, check after 20 to 30 seconds that they are not stuck, then cook about four more minutes until golden brown.

Move a fried thigh into a bowl, stream in a good quarter cup of buffalo sauce per thigh and turn it with tongs until saturated.

Build on a toasted brioche bun: pickle slices, butter leaf lettuce, the chicken, a dollop of blue cheese dressing, top bun, and squish.