The Thai Fried Chicken Sandwich

Fried chicken, Thai sweet chili sauce, Asian style cole slaw, crushed peanuts on ciabatta bread

My wife and I have spent a lot of time traveling in Thailand. One time we decided to just take local buses from Surat Thani to Bangkok stopping overnight in various small towns along the way. The main reason for this was to "eat our way up the coast". At each small town we'd hit the night market and purchase way too much delicious and authentic food. My sandwich here is inspired by that trip. It certainly not authentic but it is tasty.

The Grocery List - Serves Two

• 1 loaf of ciabatta bread sliced to make two sandwiches
• 3/4 lb chicken tenders
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon dry basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. sherry (or cooking sherry)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried crushed chilis
• 1.5 tablespoon cornstarch
• 8 ounces shredded cabbage
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
• 1 carrot shredded
• 1/8 cup soy sauce
• 1/8 lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup salted peanuts
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil (optional)

Let's break it down...

The Fried Chicken

• 3/4 lb chicken tenders
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon dry basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Combine eggs and milk in a bowl. Combine all other ingredients other than the chicken in another bowl.
2. Submerge all the chicken in the egg and milk mixture. Then transfer to the flour and seasoning mixture.
3. One at a time place in the deep fryer and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. If you don't have a deep fryer, then get one. If you can't get one then just deep fry in canola oil in a pot.

The Thai sweet chili sauce

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. sherry (or cooking sherry)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried crushed chilis
• 1.5 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a little water to make a watery paste

1. Place all ingredients, except the cornstarch paste, in a sauce and bring to a boil
2. Reduce the heat and let it reduce to about half.
3. Reduce heat to low and add the cornstarch paste. Cook for a couple more minutes until you have the consistency of a sauce. Set aside and let it cool.

The Asian slaw

• 8 ounces shredded cabbage
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
• 1 carrot shredded
• 1/8 cup soy sauce
• 1/8 cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix the cabbage, red onion and carrot in a bowl.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3. Combine the above just before serving. Be sure not to overdress the cabbage mixture since you don't want it to be soggy. After all, the point of the slaw is to add an extra crunch to the sandwich.

Assemble

1. Toast the bread lightly in the oven at 400
2. Spread some sweet chili sauce on the bread.
3. Add a layer of the fried chicken
4. Top that with a layer of the asian slaw
5. Sprinkle on some crushed peanuts
6. Optionally add some fresh basil
7. Top the sandwich

Side Ideas

I recommend serving this with a red curry mac and cheese. It is exactly what it sounds like. It is just Mac and Cheese with a jar of red curry paste mixed in. You can follow Aarti Sequeira's recipe from the Food Network.

The Cheesesteak Sandwich

Grilled flank steak, jalapeño cheese sauce topped with onion rings on ciabatta bread

Who doesn't love a cheesesteak sandwich? They seem to taste especially good while watching a basketball game. In this sandwich I tried to take the cheesesteak and fancy it up to be worthy of a in home date night dinner paired with one of our favorite red wines.

The Grocery List - Serves Two

• 1 loaf of ciabatta bread sliced to make two sandwiches
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1lb Flank steak
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 jalapenos
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 small onion
• 4 cups of vegetable or canola oil
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Let's break it down...

The Grilled Flank Steak

• 4 tablespoons of butter
• Flank steak
• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 1 lime
• Salt and lots of black pepper

1. Melt 4 tablespoons of better in a bowl. Mix in the cayenne pepper and the lime juice. Add some salt and pepper. 
2. Put the steak in a ziploc bag and pour the butter mixture on top. Put in the fridge for at least an hour. 
3. Remove from the fridge and let the steak continue to marinate on the counter an hour before grilling.
4. Grill to medium rare

The Jalapeño Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 jalapeños
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1. Cut the off the top and bottom of the jalapeño and hollow out the jalapeño. Then slice the jalapeño to make circles.
2. In a pan heat some extra virgin olive oil then cool the jalapeños until soft. Just a few minutes. Then set aside.
3. In a pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until it deepens in color about 1 minute.
4. Add the milk to the butter and flour mixture and bring to a boil and it starts to thicken. Reduce the heat and simmer about 5 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and add the cheese. Stir to get to a nice cheese sauce. 
6. Stir the jalapeños in.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste

The Onion rings

• 1 small onion
• 4 cups of vegetable or canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups flour

1. Prepare the oil for deep frying.
2. Slice the onion to make half rings
3. Drop the raw onion rings in the egg and milk mixture then move to the flour mixture
4. Place onion rings in the oil and fry until golden brown

Assemble

1. Warm the bread the oven
2. Dice the steak and place on one side of the bread
3. Pour some cheese sauce on top
4. Top with some onion rings
5. Top the sandwich

Side Ideas

The last time I made this I served it with some bacon wrapped green beans. I also did some homemade yukon gold potato chips with a rosemary dipping sauce.

The Oaktown Club

Grilled chicken and bacon with avocado, cilantro pesto and chipotle mayo on ciabatta bread

We recently finished a backyard renovation. Part of that renovation was to add some planters along the patio where I could plant some fresh herbs. I've always loved cilantro so I planted a bunch of it and it really took off. So I figured I better make up a sandwich to use some of that cilantro.

The Grocery List - Serves Two

• 1 loaf of ciabatta bread sliced to make two sandwiches
• Salt and pepper
• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 4 limes
• 1 lemon
• cajun spice blend
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 small can of chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 avocado

Let's break it down...

The Grilled Chicken

• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 3.5 limes
• 1 lemon
• cajun spice blend

1. Marinate in for 2 hours using a lime and lemon marinade
2. Remove from marinade and sprinkle with a cajun spice blend
3. Grill the chicken

The Cilantro Pesto

• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 cup walnuts

1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste

The Chipotle Mayo

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1/2 lime, juice
• Salt and pepper

1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. 
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble

1. Warm the bread in the oven
2. Slice the chicken and layer on one side of the bread
3. Lay the bacon on top of the chicken
4. Spread a substantial layer of the pesto on top of the bacon layer
5. Add the sliced avocado
6. Spread the chipotle mayo on the other side of the bread
7. Top the sandwich

Side Ideas

The last time I made this I served it with grilled corn on the cop with cilantro lime butter as well as a roasted beat and feta salad.