Drain the pickle chips and pat them dry with paper towels until the surface is matte, about 1 minute of pressing.
Whisk the buttermilk, egg, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt together until smooth and pale orange, about 30 seconds. It should be thin enough to pour but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Set up three shallow bowls: one with the flour mixed with cornstarch, one with the buttermilk mixture, and one with the panko. Coat each pickle chip in the flour mixture, dip into the buttermilk, then press firmly into the panko so it sticks on all sides.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry the breaded pickles in batches of 10 to 12, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch, until deep golden brown. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a wire rack.
Pile the hot fried pickles onto a platter and drizzle with buffalo sauce right away, while the coating is still crackling. Serve immediately with ranch dressing on the side.
