Red Robin Style Breaded Fried Pickle Chips
Crispy restaurant-style pickle chips featuring a triple-breaded coating that delivers maximum crunch with every bite. Tangy dill pickles get wrapped in seasoned flour, buttermilk, and Louisiana-style fish fry breading before hitting hot oil for that signature golden exterior. Perfect as a bar snack, game day appetizer, or anytime you crave that classic Red Robin experience at home. The secret lies in the resting period after breading, which helps the coating stay put during frying for consistently crunchy results.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dill pickle chips, drainedbread and butter pickles1:1flavor-varadds dairy
sweeter profile
- 1 cup all-purpose flourcornstarch1:1gluten-freegluten-free
lighter coating
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 package Louisiana Fish Fry Breading Mix, 8 ounces
- vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Drain pickles thoroughly
- 2
Set up breading station with three shallow containers
- 3
Combine flour, salt, and pepper in first container
- 4
Add buttermilk to second container
- 5
Add fish fry mix to third container
- 6
Heat oil to 350 degrees in pot with 3 inches depth
- 7
Coat drained pickle chips in seasoned flour, shake off excess, place on wire rack
- 8
Dip floured pickles quickly in buttermilk
- 9
Coat pickles in fish fry mix, shake off excess
- 10
Place breaded pickles on wire rack for 2 minutes
- 11
Fry pickles for 1 to 1.5 minutes until darker color appears
- 12
Drain fried pickles on wire rack
Tips
Let breaded pickles rest on wire rack before frying to help coating adhere better and prevent it from falling off in oil.
Don't overcrowd the fryer as this drops oil temperature and creates soggy coating instead of crispy exterior.
Work quickly when breading to prevent flour mixture from getting too wet from pickle moisture.
Good to Know
Best consumed immediately while coating is crispy. Can refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days but will lose crunch.
Can bread pickles up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerate on wire rack before frying.
Serve immediately while hot with ranch dressing, spicy mayo, or comeback sauce for dipping.
Common Mistakes
Don't skip the resting period to avoid coating falling off during frying.
Keep oil temperature steady to avoid soggy or burnt coating.
Work in small batches to prevent oil temperature from dropping.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
custom flavor
sweeter profile
FAQ
Can I use regular breadcrumbs instead of fish fry mix?
Yes, but season them well with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Fish fry mix has more flavor and better texture for this recipe.
What if my coating falls off during frying?
This usually happens when pickles are too wet or you skipped the resting period. Pat pickles dry and always rest breaded pickles before frying.
How long do these keep and can I reheat them?
Best eaten fresh but leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated. Reheat in 400°F oven for 5 minutes to restore some crispness, though they won't be as good as fresh.