Baked Hot Chicken Sandwich with Spicy Bourbon Honey Sauce

Today I'm going to confess something to you. I am a subaru driving, flannel wearing, dog, outdoor, and environment loving Boulderite. There I said it. Poor Boulder and it's reputation. It's misunderstood. I will tell you what I am not. You will not find me in the checkout line at Whole Foods waxing on and on about the benefits of drinking kombucha and eating kale. You will not find me in yoga pants and a patagonia tank top all day everyday as if at any moment I may break out into downward facing dog. I also promise not to regale you with tales of my morning training run in excruciating detail. Because I know you don't care. Are there people like this in Boulder? People who will donate money to erect a statue of a beloved elk? You betcha. Were they born and raised here? I don't think so.

In my humble opinion, true Boulderites love and appreciate all this beautiful town has to offer. We have the Flatirons. We are an hour drive from the beautiful Rocky Mountains. We have some of the best food for a small city. Most of us are kind and laid back. I just don't want you thinking we are all arrogant, superfit, green smoothie obsessed hippies. Somebody had to defend the honor of this wonderful place and no one loves it more than I.

Which brings me to this sandwich, with its spicy, breaded, and served on the whitest white bread ever goodness. This Boulder girl isn't scared of all the poor health decisions made in this sandwich. It's a hostile gluten takeover and a tasty one at that. Remember that time we took fries and loaded them with cheese, salsa, guac, and pulled pork? This is kind of like that. Some things are just too good not to do.

Hot chicken is a southern special, which is made with more cayenne than you ever dreamed of putting in one dish. That is why you smother it with cooling cole slaw. I wanted a slight sweetness with mine to balance the heat so I added the spicy bourbon honey sauce. The sauce is the key to the awesomeness of this sandwich. So forget the evils of all the flour and dive in headfirst. You will be delighted. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go tend to my organic vegetable garden.

Baked Hot Chicken Sandwich with Spicy Bourbon Honey Sauce 
Serves 2 with some leftover slaw, hot chicken adapted from Bon Appetit

Kate's coleslaw
1 medium head of cabbage
2 carrots, grated on large holes of box grater
1 shallot, grated on large holes of box grater
1/4 cup mayo
3 tbs dijon mustard
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Hot chicken
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" strips
2 tsps salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper (reduce to 1 tbs if you want less heat)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tbs brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tbs hot sauce
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Spicy Honey Bourbon Sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/2 the cayenne spice mixture from above
1 tsp bourbon

For serving
Sliced white bread
Sliced pickles (sweet or dill, your preference)

Prepare the coleslaw from my recipe here. Can be made right before but best if it sits for 2-8 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper over the chicken breasts.

Whisk together cayenne pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and brown sugar in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 this spice mixture with the flour and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.

Whisk buttermilk and hot sauce together in medium bowl. Pour panko bread crumbs in yet another medium bowl.

Oil the bottom of a baking dish. I used olive oil but canola would work as well.

Set up an assembly line with the flour mixture first, followed by the buttermilk, panko bread crumbs, and baking dish. Dip the chicken strip into the flour, then into the buttermilk shaking off the excess, and then the bread crumbs. Make sure the strips are completely coated in each step. When done, place the strips in the baking dish. Once all the strips are coated spray or brush with olive oil (about 2 tbs). Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown, flipping halfway through.

About 10 minutes before the chicken strips are done prepare the spicy honey bourbon sauce. In a small sauce pan over low heat, whisk together honey, the remaining 1/2 of the cayenne spice mixture, and bourbon. Heat 2-3 minutes. Drizzle over the top of the baked chicken strip.

I assembled my sandwiches open face with one piece of bread loaded with chicken strip, smothered with slaw, and topped with pickles.