Dill pickle chips are bathed in a Cajun buttermilk batter, fried until crispy, then dipped in a homemade blue cheese sauce… the ultimate fried pickles!
Fried pickles are the perfect appetizer or game day food! This Cajun version is no exception… super light and crispy, packed full of flavor, and ready to be dipped in a mouthwatering garlic blue cheese dip!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lipton. The opinions and text are all mine.
Now that Fall is officially in swing, we can start talking about one of my favorite types of noms… game day foods!!
Not that fried pickles have to be saved for game day… oh no. We like to have these fried pickles as an appetizer, or even a side dish to a nice juicy burger!
I’ve been a huge fan of fried pickles for as long as I can remember. The classically flavorful dill pickle chip and the insanely crispy yet light breading just combine for one of the greatest food frying inventions around!
Until recently, I hadn’t made them at home… probably because I know full well how often I would probably make them, but I finally decided to throw caution to the wind and test a few recipes out.
One of the downsides of the restaurant fried pickles I’d had, was that the breading just really didn’t have any flavor going on. I love my food to be positively bursting with flavor, so right away I knew I’d have to jazz up the breading.
And what better way than with Cajun spices? For some extra heat, make these with spicy dill pickle chips… it’s amazing!!
To cool down from the heat from the fried pickles, I love to serve these with a BIG pitcher of my favorite iced tea… Lipton Iced Tea! The Lipton Cold Brew is my go-to… no boiling water needed.
For 2 quarts, just pour 8 cups COOL water over 2 Lipton Cold Brew tea bags. Let brew for 5 minutes, dunking and stirring frequently, then remove tea bags, sweeten to taste and serve over ice!
Don’t be intimidated by frying, it’s really not difficult. Here’s the breakdown.
Easy Frying Instructions:
- Grab a large enameled cast iron pot (even regular cast iron works well here), and fill it up with a few inches of oil (I use peanut or sunflower oil to fry)
- Heat over MED to MED-HIGH heat until it’s a little bit over 375 degrees F (use a thermometer for more accurate measuring)
- Coat your dried pickles with the batter, then gently drop (drop them away from you to avoid splashing yourself) 5-6 pickles in the oil.
- Fry for 1-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
- Carefully remove pickles with a slotted spoon (or a spider – my fav!), to a cooling rack (with paper towels under it to catch the grease)
You can totally do this! No need for a fancy deep fryer, just a pot and some oil!
To me, no order of fried pickles is complete without the dip… so I made a quick and easy, 5 minute garlic blue cheese and chive sauce.
It’s so simple, just zip it up in your blender or food processor!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- PICKLES:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp hot sauce
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 16 oz dill pickle chips drained and dried on paper towels (don't forget this part!)
- GARLIC BLUE CHEESE SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh if possible)
- 1/4 tsp hot sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 Tbsp fresh chives roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- GARLIC BLUE CHEESE SAUCE:
- Add all ingredients, except for blue cheese, to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Add blue cheese and pulse until mixed together, but still slightly chunky.
- If sauce is too thin for your liking, add a bit more sour cream and mayo (or blue cheese), and blend until incorporated.
- Pour into an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
- PICKLES:
- Drain pickle juice from jar and lay pickle chips out on paper towels to dry.
- Line a baking sheet with several paper towels. Place a cooling rack over the top of the baking sheet and set aside.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a big heavy bottomed pot (like an enameled cast iron dutch oven) over MED to MED-HIGH heat until oil is about 385 degrees F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, hot sauce and buttermilk and whisk to combine well. Mixture should be smooth. Mixture should be a thick pancake batter consistency. If too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency.
- Use a paper towel to blot the tops of the pickle chips to remove any excess moisture on the top.
- Place 5-6 pickle chips into the batter, turning to coat all sides. Shake off excess batter, then gently place into the hot oil (place the pickle chips by dropping them about 1 inch from the oil, while moving your hand AWAY from yourself to avoid splashing yourself with hot oil).
- Fry pickles about 1-3 minutes per side, until golden brown on both sides.
- Carefully remove pickles from oil (I use a spider to do this), and place them on the cooling rack.
- This allows the excess oil to drain, while still allowing the pickles to stay crisp.
- Repeat with remaining pickles.
- Serve with garlic blue cheese sauce.
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Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Billy says
You totally killed it with the pictures on this recipe! It looks so appetizing. I can’t wait to try this at home. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Rhianon says
Wow, those sound delicious! I’ve tried fried pickles a few times, but never Cajun style- that sounds pretty awesome. I think I’ve got a jar of Bubbies in the fridge… I might have to make some tonight!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
So this recipe has been popping up on my feed, and I’m just swoooooning over it! I could totally eat fried pickles every day 🙂 The dip that goes with them is equally fabulous! LOVE
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
I am following you around the Internet, drooling like Homer Simpson, at these pickles. YUM!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
I can’t tell which one of these I like better, the pickles or the dip. Good thing you combined the two and I don’t have to choose. These look totally amazing. Can’t wait to try them! Pinning!
Catalina @ Peas & Peonies says
Your cajun fried pickles look amazing. I love your recipe. It is on my next to do list.
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
These are absolutely screaming my name, for a whole bunch of reasons! Like … they’re fried pickles. Enough said – a total weakness of mine! Plus the cajun thing, which takes it all to a whole new and awesome level! Plus the blue cheese dip … my oh my … another of my weaknesses! I’m so in love with this recipe!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) says
I’m so in love with these. I love the cajun flavor.
Amy Stafford says
First time I had these was at Max & Erma’s and I was hooked. Can’t wait to make these on Sunday while we watch our Bengals play in London.