Fried Chicken & Spicy Slaw Sandwich

If you’ve ever needed an excuse to make your own fried chicken, look no further. Fried chicken, spicy crunchy slaw and a generous drizzle of mayo sandwiched between a soft ciabatta bun; this is one delicious sandwich.

My latest recipe is a surefire winner amongst your friends, and leaves you surprised at how easy it really is! This recipe differs slightly to your normal fried chicken too - traditionally, the chicken is soaked in a buttermilk mixture before being dredged in a seasoned flour mixture, so it got me thinking, could I soak the chicken in mayonnaise instead? With some extra acidity added to tenderise the meat, it worked a treat!

In this recipe I use two new Best Foods products (we all know that their original mayo is killer!) in both the slaw and the chicken; Best Foods Mayonnaise with a spark of Chilli to spice up the slaw, and Best Foods Mayonnaise with a pinch of Mustard to tenderise and flavour the chicken. If you’re looking for something a little different to cook this week, give this a shot! You won’t be disappointed.

PS: Please be careful if you are frying anything in oil. If you see the oil starting to smoke remove from the heat immediately. Don’t be scared of it, just safe!

Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches)

Chicken

3-4 skinless boneless chicken thighs
⅓ cup Best Foods Mayonnaise with a pinch of Mustard
¼ cup milk
Juice of ½ a lime
1 ½ cups plain flour
1 tbsp garlic powder
1tsp baking powder
1tbsp smoked paprika
2tsp cayenne pepper
S & P
Cooking oil (I used rice bran)

Slaw

¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and julienned or grated
½ red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
¼ cup Best Foods Mayonnaise with a spark of Chilli
Juice of 1 lime
S&P

4 rolls of your choice
Extra Best Foods Mayonnaise with a spark of Chilli

Method

Cut your chicken thighs into large chunks (2-3 pieces per thigh) and score on a diagonal with a sharp knife.
In a bowl, mix together the mayo, milk and lime juice, then stir well. Place the chicken in the mayonnaise mixture, then coat the chicken completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or more.
To make the slaw, toss together the cabbage, red onion, carrot and coriander. Make the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, lime juice and seasoning, then pour over the slaw and toss together until the slaw is coated in the dressing. Cover and set aside.
In a plastic container, place the flour, garlic powder, baking powder, paprika, cayenne and seasoning. Place the lid on firmly and shake to combine.
Piece by piece, take the chicken and place in the flour mixture, pop on the lid and shake to dredge the chicken. Set onto a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
To fry the chicken, pour your chosen cooking oil into a medium-sized pot until it reaches 5cm in depth; if you have a deep fryer, follow instructions on the appliance. Place over a medium to high heat (you will need to change this throughout cooking to even out the temperature ie. if the oil is too hot) and wait for the oil to heat.
Once hot, fry the chicken two or three pieces at a time (dependant on the size of your pot) for around 5 minutes either side or until the coating is golden brown. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towel and place in an 130 degree celsius oven to both keep the chicken warm and ensure it is cooked through.
To serve, slice your buns in half, then pile with slaw. Place the fried chicken on top, sprinkle with salt then finish with a drizzle of Best Foods Mayonnaise with a spark of Chilli and the top half of the bun. Enjoy!

Thanks to Best Foods for making this post possible.