Fried chicken benedict

"Here is my version of a delicious eggs benny I use to make when I was a kid."

Fried chicken benedict Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  2

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Stream free On Demand

Decadent Breakfast

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 free-range chicken thigh cutlets, bone in, skin off
• 2 litres vegetable oil
• special flour, for dusting (see note)
• 2 English muffins, split
• 200 ml white wine vinegar
• 2 eggs

Spiced flour

• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• large pinch paprika
• large pinch fine salt
• large pinch dried oregano
• large pinch cayenne pepper
• large pinch ground cinnamon

Reduction

• 150 ml white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1 small red shallot, coarsely chopped
• 1 sprig tarragon
• 1 sprig thyme

Hollandaise

• 2 egg yolks
• 250 ml (1 cup) warm clarified butter or ghee
• tabasco sauce
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ bunch chives, finely sliced

You will need to begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

Marinating time: overnight

Instructions

1. Place the buttermilk and paprika in a bowl and whisk to combine well. Add the chicken, stir to coat, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. The following day, place the vegetable oil in a heavy–based saucepan or deep–fryer and heat to 165˚C. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil.
3. For the spiced flour, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine well.
4. For the reduction, place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and add 30 ml water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
5. Remove the chicken from marinade and place it in the special flour blend. Fully coat all sides of the chicken, then place in hot oil. The general rule of thumb is that once the chicken begins to float, wait 4 minutes and then remove from the oil and drain on paper towel.
6. For the Hollandaise sauce, once the pan of water is boiling, place the egg yolks in a medium stainless - steel bowl with 1 tablespoon of the cooled reduction. Place the bowl over the pan making sure the water is not touching the bottom and whisk until you can make a figure 8 with the egg mixture.
7. Once the eggs have thickened, remove the bowl from the heat and slowly whisk in the warm clarified butter until the sauce is well combined. Season the hollandaise with salt and pepper and a splash of tabasco sauce. Fold in the chives, then place the sauce into a smaller container and keep in a warm place.
8. For the poached eggs, bring a large wide saucepan of water to the boil. Add the vinegar and return to the boil. Gently add the eggs, one at a time, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. The egg should take shape once the whites are fully set and the yolk is at medium firmness. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a kitchen cloth.
9. While waiting for the eggs to cook, toast the English muffins and place the bottom half on each plate.
10. Place the fried chicken on top of the muffin bases, then top with the poached eggs. Spoon the warm hollandaise sauce over the eggs and place the muffin tops on the side.

Note
• The eggs can be poached beforehand and heated up to order. Also, it is very important not to add the clarified butter to the eggs in the hollandaise too fast otherwise the mix will split/separate.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

Want more from The Cook Up?

• Stream free here at SBS On Demand.

• Get the show recipes, articles and more here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Decadent Breakfast

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

G