Enjoy Life

Finger-licking Good! Tasty Chicken recipes

Tasty chicken recipes for you to try, suggested by Ben Ford and David Turofsky

In their latest book,Wings and Things, Ben Ford and David Turofsky, the duo behind the acclaimed Wingmans restaurant, offer a selection of their crowd-pleasing chicken dishes. Here are a couple to try

THE ROUTE 66
The Route 66 is our take on the classic American chicken sandwich, using pankobreaded chicken thigh, gem lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese and pickles.

■ 100g (3/4 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
■ 1 tsp garlic granules
■ 1 tsp onion powder
■ 1 tsp dried oregano
■ 2 tsp celery salt
■ 2 tsp white pepper
■ 2 eggs
■ 250g (6 cups) panko breadcrumbs
■ 3 tsp salt
■ 1 tsp black pepper
■ 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
■ 2 or 3L (2 or 3qt) vegetable or
rapeseed (canola) oil, for cooking

GARNISH
■ 50ml (1/4 cup) red wine vinegar
■ 2 tbsp caster (granulated) sugar
■ 1 red onion, sliced
■ 100g (1 cup) Bread and Butter Pickles
(can be purchased online at (www.
thefoodmarket.com) or substitute with
pickles or chutney of your choice)

TO SERVE
■ 4 sesame brioche buns, halved
■ 50g (31/2 tbsp) butter, melted
■ 125g (scant 1/2 cup) Burnt Onion
Jam (see panel)
■ 1 baby gem lettuce, leaves
separated
■150ml (2/3 cup) Buttermilk Ranch
dressing (see panel)
■ 4 slices American cheese, such as
Monterey Jack

1 Set up three separate bowls. In the first, combine the flour with all of the dry spices and seasoning. Crack the eggs into the second bowl and whisk until smooth. In the third bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs, salt and black pepper.

2 Trim the chicken thighs removing excess fat and any gristle from the meat. Pass the thighs
through the flour, eggs and the breadcrumbs. Set aside on a plate until needed – don’t do
this too far in advance as the breadcrumbs will absorb the moisture in the chicken and the
crust will not be as crumbly as required.

3 Add the red wine vinegar and sugar to the sliced red onions and set aside until soft and deep purple
in colour. Preheat a deep fryer to 170ºC (340ºF).

4 Place the breaded thighs in the basket and lower slowly into the fryer. Cook for eight minutes ensuring they hit 75°C (170ºF) at the core of the thickest part of the thigh. If they don’t hit 75°C (170ºF) after the first eight minutes, continue cooking for a further minute.

5 To build the burger, toast the sliced buns in a dry frying pan (skillet) until lightly coloured. Brush
with the melted butter and return to the pan until a deep golden colour. Add the onion jam to the
bottom bun then add the lettuce. On the top bun spoon on the ranch dressing, being generous.

6 As soon as the chicken thigh is cooked and golden, add a slice of American cheese and
place on top of the lettuce. Garnish with the pickled onions and the pickles. Top with the other half of the bun and give the whole thing a little squeeze. Best served with ice-cold beer.

Burnt onion jam
MAKES 250G (1 CUP)
■ 4 white onions, unpeeled
■ 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
■ Olive oil, for drizzling
■ 100g (1/2 cup) soft dark
brown sugar
■ 100ml (scant (1/2 cup)
balsamic vinegar
■ Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 190ºC (375ºF) Gas 5. Halve the onions and crush the garlic, leaving them all in their skins. Drizzle with oil and add a little seasoning. Cook in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or
until the onions start to catch and char around the edges. Allow the onions and garlic to cool and then
squeeze them out of the skins onto a chopping board. Chop to a pulp and add to a saucepan with the sugar and vinegar. Bring to the boil and reduce until dark and sticky. Store in the fridge in a closed container and use within seven days.

Buttermilk ranch dressing
MAKES 500ML (2 CUPS)
■ 300ml (11/2 cups) mayonnaise
■ 100ml (scant 1/2 cup)
sour cream
■ 100ml (scant 1/2 cup)
buttermilk
■ 2 garlic cloves, chopped
■ 50g (1 cup) freshly
chopped dill
■ 100g (21/2 cups) freshly
chopped chives
■ Freshly squeezed juice of
1/2 lemon
■ Salt and black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together well, seasoning to taste. Store in the fridge in a closed container
and use within three days.

Crumplestiltskin

If the crumpets justify this as a breakfast burger then be our guest.

Crumplestiltskin.PNG

■ 4 small chicken breast fillets, skin on
■ 100g (3/4 cup) plain flour
■ 1 tsp garlic granules
■ 1 tsp onion powder
■ 1 tsp dried oregano
■ 2 tsp cayenne pepper
■ 2 tsp celery salt
■ 3 tsp salt
■ 2 tsp white pepper
■ 1 tsp black pepper
■ 2 tsp baking powder
■ 300ml (11/4 cups) buttermilk
■ 2 or 3L (2 or 3qt) vegetable or
rapeseed (canola) oil, for cooking
■ 8 thick crumpets (English muffins)
■ Fig and Bacon Jam (see below) to serve

STILTON BUTTER
■ 100g (31/2oz) Stilton cheese
■ 50g (31/2 tbsp) butter, softened
■ 1 tsp Dijon mustard

CANDIED BACON
■ 8 rashers (slices) of smoked streaky
bacon
■ 150ml (2/3 cup) maple syrup

1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) Gas 4. Remove the chicken skin from the breasts and stretch out on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Season with salt and pepper and cook in the oven for about ten minutes until golden and crisp. Retain for garnishing.
2 Work the Stilton into the butter and mix in the Dijon mustard. Set to one side. For the candied bacon, lay the bacon out on a baking sheet and cook in the oven until starting to colour. Brush with the maple syrup and return to the oven until fully cooked and charred around the edges. Set to one side. 3 In a large bowl, combine the flour, dry spices and the baking powder and in a second bowl pour in the buttermilk. Lay the breasts between two pieces of clingfilm and flatten to 2cm (¾in) thick using a rolling pin.
4 Preheat a deep fryer to 180ºC (350ºF). Pass the flattened breast through the seasoned flour into the buttermilk and then back through the flour. Slowly lower the breast into the hot oil and cook for about 15 minutes until golden brown and thoroughly cooked, ensuring they hit 75°C (170ºF) at the core of the thickest part of the breast and the juices run clear.
5 Toast the crumpets and smear the Stilton butter over the crumpets making sure it fills all the holes. For each serving, add fig and bacon jam to two crumpets. Place a crispy chicken piece on the bottom crumpet and top with the crispy skin and two rashers of candied bacon. Finish off with the top crumpet and a little extra Stilton if you have it to spare.

Fig and bacon jam
MAKES 250G (1 CUP)
■ 200g (12/3 cups) dried figs
■ 150ml (2/3 cup) apple juice
■ 1 banana shallot, finely
chopped
■ 2 rashers (slices) of smoked
bacon, finely chopped
■ 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
■ Light olive oil, for frying
■ 100ml (scant 1/2 cup)
balsamic vinegar
■ 75g (1/3 cup) soft dark
brown sugar
■ 1 cinnamon stick
■ 2 cloves
Soak the figs in the apple juice until soft, then remove and chop. Retain the liquid. Soften the shallot, bacon and garlic in a pan with a little oil. Add the vinegar, sugar, spices and figs then bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add a little of the apple juice soaking liquid and continue to reduce until thick and sticky. Allow to cool. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves before serving. Store in the fridge in a closed container and use within 3 days.