First, let’s kick off the process with the marinade. In a large bowl, combine the crushed garlic clove, halved jalapeño, thinly sliced shallot, sea salt, black pepper, cultured buttermilk, honey, and lemon zest. Mix everything well. Add your chicken slices to the marinade, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours, or, if you have time, overnight. This will infuse your chicken with all those delightful flavors.

While your chicken is marinating, prepare the seasoned flour. In a separate large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, celery salt, and ground cumin. Whisk until everything is well mixed. This is where the magic happens—this blend will give your chicken that outstanding flavor and crunch.

In a deep frying pan, pour in enough canola oil for frying. You’ll need about three inches of oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). You can check if the oil is hot enough by dropping in a small pinch of flour; if it bubbles up, you're ready to go!

Take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator. One piece at a time, lift a slice from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Then, dredge it into the seasoned flour, coating both sides well. Make sure to shake off any excess flour. Place the coated chicken on a plate and repeat until all chicken slices are coated.

Carefully slide the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil, frying in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Use a slotted spatula to remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Now comes the fun part—assembly! Start by buttering and toasting your potato buns. Once they have a lovely golden color, spread a generous layer of your homemade Buttermilk Herb Mayo on the bottom half of each bun. Layer on the fried chicken, followed by pickles and shredded lettuce. Top with the other half of the bun, and you’re done!