Gordon Ramsay's Ideal Fried Chicken Sandwich Uses These Cuts Of Meat (They Bring Big Flavor)

Most fried chicken sandwiches start with chicken breast — but not in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen. The chef's go-to cut of meat for these sandwiches is actually a thigh or a drumstick. According to Ramsay, this is where the real flavor lives.

Chicken breast might be versatile, but dark meat naturally contains higher amounts of intramuscular fat. When a thigh or drumstick cooks, its high fat levels help seal in moisture, giving way to a dish that practically oozes with flavor. This means bites of a chicken thigh or a drumstick often taste a whole lot juicier than a piece of breast. There's little risk of ending up with a dry center, which breast meat sometimes brings to the party. Instead, dark meat stays tender, holding its own in a chicken sandwich against the crunch of the breading without ever feeling bland. Plus, thighs and drumsticks are often more affordable than other cuts. 

These are some of the reasons why dark meat is the absolute best choice for meatballs, butter chicken, and Gordon Ramsay's chicken sandwiches. Sure, working with chicken thighs or drumsticks can be more labor-intensive than cooking with the breast, especially if you're dealing with bone-in pieces that need to be trimmed down. Still, if it means an excellent dish, Ramsay is willing to do the extra knife work. 

Choosing chicken thighs over breasts doesn't just tweak the flavor of a chicken sandwich — it changes the whole experience. Since the surface area of this cut is slightly smaller than breast, you can create a thicker, crunchier coating that won't feel like overkill. Dark meat also absorbs flavor exceptionally well. Whatever ingredients you throw at your chicken drumsticks or thighs, from a buttermilk marinade to spices like paprika or garlic, the moist flesh will soak it all up and carry the flavor through every bite. (Just be mindful of overly-sugary marinades, which, like other mistakes people make when cooking chicken thighs, can negatively affect the flavor.)

While dark meat tastes great on its own, there's a lot you can pair with it, too. Dark meat has a strong flavor that holds its ground against just about anything, from a tangy slaw to some spicy barbecue sauce. That's just another reason to swap out chicken breast for a thigh or drumstick in your next chicken sandwich.