Engineered Cooking

1. To make the hot sauce, remove the flesh from the watermelon rind (remember, reserve the rind for pickling). Roughly chop the flesh, place in a food processor, and process until it forms a liquid. You should have about 4 cups.

2. In a heavy saucepan, combine the watermelon liquid and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring often to prevent scorching, until reduced by half, about 45 minutes. Add the Sriracha, stir well, and remove from the heat. Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. (The sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks.)

3. To make the fried chicken, in a bowl, immerse the chicken thighs in the buttermilk and let soak for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 day in the refrigerator.

4. Pour oil to a depth of 5 inches into a deep pot or a deep fryer and heat to 335°F.

5. While the oil is heating, in the food processor, process the corn flakes until reduced to the consistency of the panko. Add the panko, flour, paprika, salt, and pepper flakes and pulse to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

6. When the oil is ready, one at a time, remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk, letting them drip a bit, then toss them in the crumb mixture until well coated. Carefully lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown on the outside and cooked through,5–8 minutes; the timing depends on the thickness. Test for doneness with an instant-read thermometer; it should register 165 °F. Using a wire skimmer or tongs, transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain briefly.

7. To assemble each sandwich, arrange a layer of rinds on the bottom of a bun and top with a piece of chicken. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the hot sauce over the chicken and close with the bun top. Serve right away.