The good news? January is behind us, and we can finally indulge again! Yipee! My guilty pleasure is salty, crunchy, and piping hot fried anything. One of my favorites is a Fried Dill Pickle. After my Saturday farmer’s market, you can often find me at the pub on the corner enjoying a Guinness, fried pickles, and “proper” chips with curry (my other serious infatuation). I can never wait for the fried dill pickles to cool, so I am always doing the burn-my-mouth-eye-watering dance. We have all been there. I also often have to share them with my family, and it is usually me asking, “Who wants the last one?” A rhetorical question, of course, because it is me…always.

It was time I tried making fried pickles at home. Even though I have no problem gobbling up fried food at restaurants, I seem to shy away from frying at home. After searching, I found a recipe from Spend With Pennies that seemed easy enough, and I just happened to have all the ingredients in my pantry. My only change was using my Pretty Pickled “El Diablo” pickled chips instead of adding cayenne. So happy I did. The result was a crunchy, full of flavor, and a little bit spicy, fried dill pickle…and yes, I used fresh dill in the batter. Yum! I dipped them in a simple dip made with taco seasoning and sour cream. Also, something I had in my pantry.

I stopped myself from eating the entire plate so I could have a few left to test on my 14-year-old twins. As was anticipated, they ate the rest, and now I have a go-to fried dill pickle recipe that my entire family loves. They are worth the time spent making - and the calories!

Step By Step

Set up two sheet pan trays, one lined with paper towels and the other lined with parchment paper.
Wisk all the ingredients for the batter in a shallow bowl and let rest.
Mix the panko with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a second shallow bowl.
Grab a jar of Pretty Pickled El Diablo spicy pickle chips. A jar of Mom’s Famous will be just as awesome.
Place the El Diablo pickle chips on the paper towel-lined sheet pan and pat them dry with paper towels.
Dip the El Diablo pickle chips first in the batter and then into the panko. Make sure the entire front and back are pressed and coated with panko. Set aside on the parchment-lined sheet pan.
Fry in small batches on each side for 3-4 minutes, and place on paper towels.
For the dipping sauce: Combine taco seasoning with a cup of sour cream to taste.
Enjoy!

Dip and fry the red bell pepper as well for color, flavor, and fun. Save the dill from the jar to chop up and add to the batter.

Tips:

Don’t worry about covering the sides of the pickle with panko. I found it wasn't easy to fry the sides.
I used avocado oil, and it worked perfectly
Chop the fresh dill from the jar to add to the batter for a punch of flavor.
Batter and fry the red bell pepper too!
It is important the oil is hot enough. Try dropping a bit of batter in the pan. If you have a thermometer, 350 - 375 degrees is ideal.
Our Mom’s Famous Dill Pickle spear works great with this recipe.
Try experimenting with other dipping sauces.
Be careful not to burn your mouth if eating right away.
One jar of Pretty Pickled El Diablo or Mom’s Famous is the perfect amount for this recipe.
Try pickling your own pickle first with the help of our Pretty Pickled DIY Pickling Packets.