Fried chicken sandwich with quick pickles and mayo-mustard sauce (against the Chick-fil-A original)

Mix a little pickle juice, some milk and one egg in a bowl.

Slice the whole chicken breasts in half and thin them so there is no bulbous end, keeping the thicker top halves for the sandwiches; toss them in the pickle-juice mixture by hand.

variation: let it sit overnight so the salt brines the chicken; here it only adds a little flavour and helps the dredge stick.

Make the dredge: 150 g flour and 75 g cornstarch, cayenne, smoked paprika, onion powder, ground ginger, garlic powder, salt, MSG and black pepper.

Preheat the reused peanut oil on low to about 275F, topping it off.

Drizzle a little of the chicken's liquid into the dredge to form clumps for texture.

Bread each piece, pressing the flour in to make craggly nooks and crannies; shake off once the oil is hot.

Bring the oil to 325 to 350F, a general frying zone where the outside crisps while the inside cooks.

Heat a little water with white vinegar, salt and MSG for a quick pickle.

At about 325F, raise the heat a little and gently lower in the two larger pieces together; fry roughly eight minutes, moving them so the oil has no cold spots.

Rinse and slice the cucumber into chips; add about half the old dill.

Flip the chicken so the heavy pieces do not burn on the bottom edge.

Pour the near-boiling brine over the pickles.

Check the internal temperature, targeting 155F; lower the heat if the crust browns before the inside is done; it carries over a little after it comes out.

Sprinkle the fried chicken with salt; toast the buns in the oven.

Stir together one part mustard to three parts mayo with a little honey for the sauce.

Assemble the sandwiches with the chicken, pickles and sauce.