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.