7. Crispy Chick
When I think of fried chicken, I think of the morning after, when you open the red, white and gold box knowing there is a 50/50 risk of the smell sending you back over the edge. When the latter doesn’t occur, the little golden crispy strips are my saving grace. I am sure fried chicken sparks nostalgic thoughts for everyone, and for some of us, it may be quite easy to forget what fried chicken is, or believe it’s best eaten out. Especially when its consumed at 3am, it’s squeezed into your meal deal wrap or it’s slathered in katsu sauce! So, when we decided to create this sandwich, each step showed us how fried chicken is easily done at home. This probably explains how fried chicken has stood the test of culinary time, and that it is a common dominator between all nations. From fried chicken and grits in the deep south, to Yangnyeom Chicken in Korea - it requires few ingredients, but lots of love and time. We hope you feel the same way about this fried chicken recipe.
Makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Fried Chicken
1.8 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (halve each breast crosswise and separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks)
135 g all-purpose flour
110 g corn flour
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
415 ml cold water
2.8 l peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
Fresh Coleslaw
2 carrots, shredded or thinly sliced with a potato peeler
Half a small white cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
1 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tbsp mayo
Half a lemon juice
1 tsp french mustard
1 tsp wine wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Toppings
Cheese of your choice, we used Monterey Jack
Gherkins or jalapeños
Bread
White Roll:
200ml whole milk, plus extra for brushing
50g unsalted butter
500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp caster sugar
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
1 egg, beaten
sesame seeds
Method
Bread
1) Warm the milk, butter and 100ml water in a pan over a medium heat until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool until just warm.
2) Add the flour, sugar, yeast and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl and gradually work in the milk mixture, then the egg, until it comes to a smooth dough. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead until elastic and shiny.
3) Divide the dough into 12 (about 80g each) pieces and roll into tight balls. Lay them onto lined baking trays, and put in a warm place to prove for 30-45 mins.
4) Set the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Press the rolls down gently using your hands, brush them with milk and scatter over the sesame seeds. Bake for 10-12 mins until risen and lightly golden. Leave to cool completely, then serve.
Fried Chicken
1) For the batter, mix the flour, corn flour, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, baking powder, salt, and water until smooth. It should be the same consistency as pancake batter. Place in the fridge to rest until you are ready to fry the chicken.
2) Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat until it reaches 176°C. Prepare a wire rack on a roasting tray.
3) Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. Place half the chicken pieces in the batter and turn to coat. Remove the chicken from the batter, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl and carefully place it in the oil.
4) Fry the chicken and keep your attention on the oil temperature, adjusting the heat to maintain the oil between 149°C and 163°C. Cook the fried chicken until deep golden brown and the white meat registers 71°C or 79°C for dark meat. This should take 12 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces.
5) Place the fried chicken on the wire rack to drain. Bring the oil back to 350°F (176°C) and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Fresh Coleslaw
1) Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix.
