House Special Chicken Sando

A colleague and I were discussing how fried chicken is delicious and satisfying, but people often shy away from making it during the week because they think it's too time-consuming. I wanted to challenge that notion with this sandwich that is both approachable and flavorful, using techniques I've honed at home.

A couple of tips: 1) This is a double-fried method! If you'd like, you can do the first fry the day before and the second fry the day of to speed up the process. 2) I prefer potato starch over flour for the coating because it creates a lighter, cleaner crust and holds up nicely with the double frying. It also doesn't hurt that it’s gluten-free, so those who are celiac (like my wife) can also enjoy it, with or without a gluten-free bun.

This dish was part of our Fried Chicken Cook-Off! Check out the competing recipe: Dro's Fish Sauce Glazed Chicken Wings. 

Recipe by: Rob Metnick / JSC Kitchen


Serves 20, 2 sliders each

Process

To start, make the Spicy Cucumber Crunch. Combine all of the ingredients in a sealed jar and shake. Set aside.

Next, lay out your chicken and lightly dust with Infused Black Garlic Salt. 

In a large bowl, mix potato starch and House Special Seasoning. In another bowl, crack 4 eggs and briefly whisk. Dip the chicken into the eggs first, then into the potato starch mixture - repeat with all of the chicken pieces. Once you're done, let the dredged pieces rest on a wire rack for 15 minutes while you bring your frying oil to temperature. We'll be frying it at medium-high heat and aiming for 300°F for this first cook so that it cooks the interior without fully browning the outside. 

Hot Tip: Fry a test piece to check the seasoning and oil temperature before frying all of the chicken!

Work in batches when frying to avoid overcrowding the pot. Each side should take approximately 2-3 minutes. At this point you want the pieces to be par-cooked on the inside, but only lightly browned on the outside. Transfer pieces to a wire rack to let cool. 

Hot Tip: At this point, you can choose to rest the chicken overnight instead of immediately finishing them with the second fry. 

Once you're ready for the second fry, turn the heat up higher and bring your oil to 350°F. This time, you can work in larger batches and cook the chicken for 1-2 minutes per batch, making sure to move the chicken around to get even browning.

To assemble your sandwich, toast your Hawaiian sweet bread and spread Kewpie mayo on both sides. Add Spicy Cucumber and 1-2 chicken pieces, then finish with flaky salt to taste before enjoying.