Sichuan-style hot chicken sandwich

The Nashville-style fried chicken sandwich gets a Sichuan-style twist! Chicken thigh cutlets are coated in a spicy Asian-style spice mix, then fried until golden and crispy. Serve with a Sichuan-inspired slaw on soft buns with cucumber and fresh coriander leaves.

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

In a Bun

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thigh cutlets, skin on, bone removed
• salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• oil, for deep frying

Hot flour

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 tbsp Korean chilli powder
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp ground fennel
• 1 tsp Sichuan pepper powder
• 1 tsp salt flakes
• ½ tsp black pepper

Hot oil

• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp Korean chilli powder
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Cabbage and pickle slaw

• ¼ cabbage, very finely shredded
• ½ cup chopped Sichuan pickled mustard stem (zha cai)
• 1 cup Japanese mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp white vinegar

To serve

• 4 soft white hamburger buns
• coriander sprigs
• sliced cucumber

Instructions

1. Season the chicken well with salt. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Combine the ingredients for the hot flour together in a large bowl. Combine the ingredients for the hot oil together in a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat your frying oil to 160˚C. Spoon about 1 cup of the frying oil into the oil spices and mix well.
3. Add a spoonful of the egg and milk mixture to the flour and mix to form a crumby texture. Dip a piece of chicken into the flour, then into the egg and milk mixture, then back into the flour. Drop into the oil and fry for about 8 minutes, or until cooked through.
4. Remove to a wire rack to drain, and repeat for the remaining chicken. Spoon the hot oil over the top of the chicken. You should be able to fry a few pieces at a time, depending on the size of your pot and the amount of oil you're using.
5. For the slaw, combine the ingredients together.
6. Layer the ingredients into a bun with the coriander and cucumber to serve.

Note

• Potato rolls are preferred for this recipe style, but brioche-style are fine too.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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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

In a Bun

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G