Puffed rice fried chicken sandwich with fresh crisps

Pickle-brined chicken thighs fry up golden and juicy inside a crackling puffed rice crust. Piled onto soft sourdough with crisp lettuce, tangy pickles and a drizzle of hot sauce, this fried chicken sandwich comes with hand-cut potato crisps and a cool herb ranch for dipping.

By Tim Vincent
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes

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The pickle-brined chicken thighs provide good protein, while the lettuce and pickles add freshness, but the deep-fried coating, frying oil, mayonnaise-based ranch and fresh crisps increase the energy, saturated fat and salt levels significantly. Enjoy this fried chicken sandwich as an indulgent treat and balance lighter meals around it.

Approximate nutrition per serving: 950 kcal, 58g fat, 12g saturates, 52g carbohydrates, 5g sugars, 3g fibre, 42g protein, 3.4g salt.

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Method

1. Soak the potato slices – 5 minutes active, then 1 hour or overnight resting (do this ahead).
   Place the thinly sliced potatoes into a large bowl of cold water and rinse them vigorously three or four times, or until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and helps the crisps fry up properly crunchy. Dissolve the salt and vinegar into 1 litre of cold water, add the potato slices and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight. You can do this step well in advance.
2. Brine the chicken in pickle juice – 5 minutes active, then 2 hours resting (do this ahead and overlap with the crisps soaking).
   Drain the pickle juice from the jar into a bowl and set the sliced pickles aside for later. Add the chicken thighs to the pickle juice, making sure they are submerged, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. This brine makes the fried chicken incredibly tender and adds a subtle tang that works beautifully inside the sandwich.
3. Make the seasonal ranch base – 5 minutes.
   Combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, soured cream, finely grated garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Give it a good stir until smooth. This cool, creamy ranch brings everything together in the fried chicken sandwich, so it is worth making while the chicken brines.
4. Blend the herbs into the ranch – 3 minutes.
   Scoop half of the ranch base into a blender with the dill, chives and parsley. Blitz until the herbs are finely blended and the mixture turns pale green. Pour the blended herbs back into the remaining ranch base and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more salt, lemon or garlic if needed, then chill until you assemble the sandwich.
5. Mix the dry coating – 3 minutes.
   Combine the plain flour, cornflour, aleppo pepper, dried parsley, onion powder, paprika and salt in a mixing bowl. Give it a quick whisk so the spices are evenly distributed. This seasoned flour builds the first layer of crunch on your puffed rice fried chicken.
6. Make the wet batter with puffed rice – 3 minutes.
   Measure 100g of the dry mix into a separate bowl. Add the puffed rice cereal, sparkling water and hot sauce, then whisk until you have a thick, smooth batter with no lumps. The puffed rice adds an extra-crackly texture that makes this fried chicken sandwich stand out from the usual.
7. Dredge and coat the chicken – 5 minutes.
   Lift the chicken thighs out of the pickle juice and pat them lightly. Press each thigh firmly into the dry mix until fully coated, then dunk and fully cover the dredged chicken in the wet puffed rice batter. Let any excess batter drip off for a moment; you want a thick but even coating.
8. Fry the chicken until golden – 8 to 10 minutes.
   Heat 1 litre of neutral oil in a deep saucepan to 180C. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature, as consistent heat is the key to a crispy, non-greasy crust. Carefully lower the coated chicken into the hot oil and fry for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until the coating is deep golden and the chicken reaches 72C internally. Lift the puffed rice fried chicken out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep it warm while you fry the crisps.
9. Dry and fry the fresh crisps – 15 minutes (can overlap with keeping the chicken warm).
   Drain the soaked potato slices and use a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels to remove as much surface moisture as possible; dry potatoes make the crispiest fresh crisps. Heat the oil in a separate deep saucepan to 180C. Fry in small batches of about 50g at a time so the oil temperature stays high. Remove the crisps with a slotted spoon when the bubbling slows significantly and they feel rigid, then toss with a little sea salt. The fresh crisps will crisp up further as they cool.
10. Assemble the fried chicken sandwich – 3 minutes.
    Lay two slices of sourdough on a work surface and spoon the ranch generously over both. Top the base slices with two or three lettuce leaves, one or two pieces of the puffed rice fried chicken, a drizzle of hot sauce to taste and three or four reserved pickle slices. Spread the remaining sourdough slices with ranch, place them on top and press down gently. Serve the fried chicken sandwich straight away with the fresh crisps piled alongside.

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Wine Pairing

A puffed rice fried chicken sandwich with fresh crisps and tangy ranch needs a wine with enough acidity and fruit to balance the crunch, spice and creamy dressing. An off-dry Riesling pairs brilliantly with this crunchy chicken sandwich; its citrus and stone-fruit notes cut through the fried puffed rice coating and complement the pickle brine chicken beautifully.

Sparkling wine or Champagne also makes a superb match for a fried chicken sandwich. The lively bubbles refresh the palate between bites of puffed rice fried chicken, while the toasty, yeasty notes echo the sourdough bread. For a red option, serve this crispy chicken sandwich with a lightly chilled Beaujolais or a fruity Pinot Noir; the bright cherry character works well with the hot sauce and the savoury ranch. If you prefer a casual pairing, a crisp lager or dry cider suits this fried chicken and fresh crisps feast perfectly.

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FAQs

• Why brine the chicken in pickle juice? Pickle juice tenderises the meat and adds a subtle tang that cuts through the richness of the fried chicken. It keeps the puffed rice fried chicken juicy inside the crispy crust.
• Can I make parts of this fried chicken sandwich ahead? Yes. Soak the crisps and brine the chicken overnight. Make the ranch up to a day ahead. Fry everything just before serving for the best crunch.
• How do I keep the fresh crisps crispy? Rinse the starch from the potatoes, soak them in salted vinegar water, dry them thoroughly before frying and fry in small batches. Season the fresh crisps as soon as they come out of the oil.
• What oil is best for frying this puffed rice fried chicken? Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable oil, sunflower oil or rapeseed oil. Keep the temperature steady at 180C.
• Is this fried chicken sandwich recipe nut-free? Yes, the puffed rice fried chicken sandwich with fresh crisps is nut-free as written. Always check labels on puffed rice cereal, mayonnaise and hot sauce if cooking for someone with an allergy.

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Tips

• Use a meat thermometer when frying the chicken; 72C internal temperature means the puffed rice fried chicken is safely cooked and still juicy.
• Fry in small batches for both the chicken and the fresh crisps so the oil temperature does not drop and the coating stays crisp.
• Pat the potato slices very dry before frying; any moisture left on the surface will make the oil spit and stop the crisps from crisping.
• Assemble the fried chicken sandwich just before serving so the sourdough stays soft and the puffed rice coating stays crunchy.
• Slice the potatoes on a mandoline to an even 1–1.5mm thickness so the fresh crisps cook at the same rate and turn uniformly golden.