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McDonald's McSpicy (Copycat)
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About
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 pound / 450g)
• 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon (15g) cayenne pepper (don't skip this, the heat is the whole point!)
• 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
• 1 teaspoon (2g) black pepper
• 1 teaspoon (3g) garlic powder
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
FOR THE BREADING:
• 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (60g) cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon (15g) cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon (15g) paprika
• 1 Tablespoon (15g) garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
• 1 teaspoon (2g) black pepper
FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1/2 cup (120ml) mayonnaise (use a good quality, thick mayo)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
FOR ASSEMBLY:
• 4 sesame seed buns
• 1 1/2 cups (75g) shredded iceberg lettuce
• Butter for toasting buns
Recipe
- 1The McSpicy is famous for its deep, burning heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Toss in your chicken thighs, making sure they are fully submerged. Cover and let them marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can. This forces the spice right into the meat.
- 2Make the sauce: The McSpicy doesn't use a spicy sauce — the fire is all in the chicken, and the sauce is your cooling element. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the garlic powder and onion powder. Cover and pop it in the fridge.
- 3Set up your breading station. In a wide dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pro tip: cornstarch is our secret weapon here. It creates that shatteringly crisp crust that stays crunchy even under a heavy layer of mayo.
- 4Heat your vegetable oil to 350°F (180°C) in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. Pull a marinated chicken thigh from the bowl, letting the excess liquid drip off. Drop it into the seasoned flour, pressing the dry mix HARD into every crevice of the meat. You want to build up those thick, craggy bits.
- 5Carefully lower the breaded chicken into the hot oil. Fry for about 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until it's a deep, angry reddish-brown and the internal temperature hits 165°F (74°C). Let it rest on a wire cooling rack so the bottom doesn't steam and get soggy.
- 6Time to build. Lightly butter the inside of your sesame seed buns and toast them in a hot pan until golden. Spread a thick, cooling layer of your prepared mayo on both the top and bottom buns. On the bottom bun, place your scorching hot, crispy chicken thigh. Pile on a massive handful of shredded iceberg lettuce to help tame the heat, and close it up with the top bun. Eat immediately.