Ad Hoc Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Coleslaw
Topped with crispy slaw, these fried chicken sandwiches are great for a leisurely outdoor lunch. They’re made using our fried chicken kit, which was developed by award-winning chef Thomas Keller; it duplicates the recipe from his Ad Hoc restaurant in Napa Valley. The chicken needs to brine for 6 hours before frying, so plan accordingly. Variations on this sandwich are included at the end of the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 Ad Hoc fried chicken brine packet
- 6 1/2 cups water
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each about 6 oz.,
pounded to 1/2-inch thickness - 1 Ad Hoc fried chicken coating mix packet
- 2 cups buttermilk
- Canola oil for frying
- 1/2 head green cabbage, cored and shredded
- 3 jalapeños, very thinly sliced into rounds
- 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbs. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 6 torpedo rolls, halved and toasted
- Mayonnaise for serving (optional)
Directions
Using the brine packet and water, prepare and cool the brine according to the package instructions. Pour the brine into a brining bag and add the chicken breasts. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 6 hours. Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse with cold water and pat dry.
Place the coating mix and buttermilk in separate large bowls. Line a wire cooling rack with paper towels and set on a baking sheet.
In a 12-inch cast-iron deep skillet over medium heat, pour in canola oil to a depth of 1/2 inch and heat to 325° to 350°F. Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the coating mix and shake off the excess. Dip the chicken into the buttermilk and then into the coating mix again to coat thickly; do not shake off the excess.
Fry the chicken, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes; adjust the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature at 325° to 350°F. Transfer the chicken to the paper towel-lined rack.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, jalapeños and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, sugar and the 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the vinaigrette to the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Season the coleslaw with salt and pepper.
Spread the cut sides of the rolls with mayonnaise. Place the fried chicken on the bottom half of the rolls and top with the coleslaw. Cover with the top half of the rolls. Serves 6.
Variations: There’s more than one way to dress up a fried chicken sandwich. Here are a few ideas to make it your own. Omit the mayonnaise and coleslaw and proceed as directed:
Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich: Combine gochuchang (a spicy red pepper paste) with mayonnaise and spread on the bread. Top the fried chicken with kimchi.
Cordon Bleu Fried Chicken Sandwich: Spread Dijon mustard on the bread. Top the fried chicken with thinly sliced ham and melted Gruyère cheese.
California Fried Chicken Sandwich: Top the fried chicken with slices of crispy bacon, tomato, lettuce and avocado.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen