Ohio Shredded Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

For 4 servings

• •2 pounds. boneless, skinless chicken thighs1/2 teaspoon
• •Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight
• •3 c. à soupe unsalted butter, divided
• •1 1/2 cups (36ml) homemade chicken stock or storebought low-sodium chicken broth
• •3 /4 cup (180ml) whole milk (see notes)
• •1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces; 225g), diced
• •1 stalk (2 ounces) celery, any leaves included , diced, (about 1/2 cup diced)
• •1 clove garlic, minced
• •2 c. à café freshly ground black pepper
• •3 c. à soupe all-purpose flour
• •1 c. à soupe pickled banana pepper brine, plus pickled banana peppers slices for serving
• •4 burger buns, toasted, for serving

Method

1. 1.Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels then lightly season all over with salt. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
2. 2.Return all chicken to skillet or Dutch oven and add chicken stock, bring to a simmer, and scrape the bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken registers 175°F (80℃), 5 to 7 minutes. Use tongs to transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool.
3. 3.Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof measuring cup or medium bowl. Stir in milk; set aside.
4. 4.In the now-empty pan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, black pepper, and salt and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook until toasted and no dry flour remains, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. 5.Gradually pour in the reserved stock and milk mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring often, until gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
6. 6.Using an immersion blender (or carefully transferring to a standard blender), purée the sauce until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If using a blender, return sauce to pot.
7. 7.Using 2 forks, shred chicken finely, then return to pot with sauce. Simmer until mixture resembles a thick gravy and a line drawn by a spoon holds its shape for a few seconds, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in reserved banana pepper brine, and let cool for 15 minutes. (It will thicken further as it cools.)
8. 8.For serving sandwiches: For each sandwich, pile about 1/2 cup shredded chicken mixture onto a bottom bun. Add pickled banana peppers. Top with the remaining bun and serve warm.