By Sophie Sloan

There is something about gathering around a table in front of a home-cooked meal that is so comforting. 

On a recent Saturday night, I hosted a memorable dinner for two of my closest friends, Abby Craig (‘24) and Kathryn Sutherland (’22), both of whom were home from college for the weekend. We hadn’t all been together in months, and usually we’d go to Los Panchos or El Cap to eat and catch up. However, this time I decided to take matters into my own hands. The plan was to cook a scratch-made pasta dinner. However, I realized I was short on eggs while pulling mise en place (gathering the ingredients), so instead of going to the store and spending $30 on eggs, I decided to make the second-best thing, AKA the only other Insta-worthy thing I can cook: Nashville hot chicken sandwiches. 

To me, cooking for people is an underrated act of love, and this night was about showing how much I missed my friends through food. I spent that Saturday afternoon at Manchester High School in Chesterfield, accompanying my mom, Pam Sloan, the school’s head of Culinary Arts instruction, during catered event preparations. I decided to prepare the sandwiches then, as her commercial-style deep fryers and large mixing bowls were the only way I could pull off the crispy chicken I was going for. 

Prepping the chicken in the mixture.

I started the prep around 3 p.m. First, I soaked the chicken in buttermilk to tenderize it and help the various spices stick. Then, I followed this recipe; my mom and I always make it together when we are in the mood for chicken sandwiches:

Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ cups flour 
• Oil for frying (peanut or vegetable)

Hot Oil Sauce

• ½ cup of the leftover frying oil 
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp paprika 
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Spicy Mayo Sauce

• ½ cup mayo
• 1 tbsp hot sauce 
• 1 tsp pickle juice
• ½ tsp honey

Toppings

• Brioche buns
• Pickle chips
• Bacon
• Pepper Jack Cheese

The fryer.

After gathering my ingredients, I mixed the flour with a bit more salt and cayenne pepper in a separate bowl. I then took the marinated chicken and coated each piece in flour, pressing it firmly to get a delectably crispy crust. Next, I heated the oil to 350°F in my mom’s deep fryer and waited for it to begin sizzling. I then placed the chicken into the fryer and cooked it for about seven minutes. The aroma produced is one of my favorite smells. I then made my sauces from the above recipe and assembled a chicken sandwich to try. After giving myself my seal of approval, I packed away each ingredient separately to bring back to my house to reheat for the dinner.

When I got home around 6 p.m., I reheated the chicken in the oven to keep the crust crispy, toasted the buns, and laid everything out. I invited my friends to come over around 6:30 p.m. to ensure that I had time to reheat everything. I set up an area outside of my house to eat and enjoy RVA’s delightful spring weather. 

Chicken sandwich.

I assembled the sandwiches: bread, mayo, chicken, bacon, pickle chips, cheese, and top bun. I put each sandwich on a plate, accompanied by Lays BBQ chips and grapes, and brought them outside to the table. When Craig entered my house, she said, “Wow, I did not know you could cook like this,” which I took as a compliment. As we began to eat, Sutherland took a bite and shouted, “Why is this so spicy but so good at the same time?” Craig was interested in the mayo and said, “Sophie, you should make this and sell it as a side hustle in college.” When Sutherland tried the sauce, she described it as providing “the perfect amount of tang and a good balance to the spice of the chicken.” We all agreed that the heat level was just right, and that the heat hits you just after a second or two. We also collectively agreed that if the chicken had been cooked on the spot, it could have been crispier.

Assembling the sandwiches.

To cook these sandwiches on the spot at home, you just have to tweak a few things. Grab a frying pan, place it on the stove and put about a ½ cup of oil in the pan. Heat the oil to 350, and fry the chicken with the same instructions used for the commercial fryer. This way, the chicken will have that delectable crunch to it without having to purchase thousand-dollar fryers for your home. 

If I had a bit more time, I would have made my own buns and pickles to add a bit more flavor to the entire meal. I would have also made a few desserts, such as brownies or cookies, to round out the meal. 

For me, cooking is not always about following the plan; it’s about working with what you’ve got and bringing people together. Hosting that dinner reminded me that food connects people, and that sometimes the best nights are the ones you did not plan perfectly. Though our El Cap or Los Panchos catch-ups go unmatched, this experience definitely came in a close second. 

All photos by Sophie Sloan.