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Korean fried chicken sandwiches
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Korean Fried Chicken Sandwiches

By: CJ Eats

An ultra crispy Korean fried chicken thigh smothered in a sweet and spicy glaze topped with Tillamook Whole Milk Mozzarella, cabbage slaw, and pickles nestled between a pillowy soft brioche bun is the perfect sandwich you need to make ASAP!

45minserves 8

Ingredients

  • 8 boneless skinless Chicken Thighs

  • 1 tbsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp white pepper

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
    ½ tbsp sesame oil

  • Pickles (4 per sandwich)

  • Tillamook Whole Milk Mozzarella Slices (2 slices per sandwich)

  • 8 toasted brioche buns

Seasoning Batter

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups potato starch

  • 1 ½ tbsp baking powder

  • 1 tbsp kosher salt

  • 1 tbsp white pepper

  • 1 tbsp garlic powder

  • 1 tbsp onion powder

  • 1 tbsp paprika

  • ½ tbsp cayenne

Wet Batter

  • 3⁄4cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup cold water

Cabbage Slaw

  • 4 cups green cabbage, shredded

  • 4 cups red cabbage, shredded

  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

  • 3⁄4cup Japanese mayo

  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • ½ tbsp kosher salt

  • ½ tsp black pepper

Gochujang Sauce

  • 1⁄2cup light soy sauce

  • 2 tbsp gochujang

  • 1⁄3cup honey

  • 3 tbsp sugar

  • 1 tbsp gochugaru

  • ¼ cup rice vinegar

  • ½ cup water

Sriracha Mayo

  • 1⁄4cup Japanese mayo

  • 1 tbsp Sriracha

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Directions

  1. Marinate chicken with kosher salt, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and gochugaru. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the seasonings and dry brine the chicken.

  2. In a bowl, mix together mayo, rice vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until combined. Add the cabbage and sesame seeds and toss until evenly coated. Place in the fridge to chill until the sandwiches are ready to assemble.

  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, potato starch, baking powder, salt, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne. Mix until combined and add a few tablespoons of water to rub into the dry dredge to form craggily bits.

  4. In a small bowl add the flour, eggs and cold water until the batter is slightly looser than pancake batter.

  5. Dredge the chicken in the wet batter letting any excess drip off, then add the dry mix and pack in the dredge well. Leave on a tray to rest while you heat the oil.

  6. In a large dutch oven, heat oil to 325°F and fry the chicken for 4-6 minutes until a light golden brown and remove to a wire rack. Strain out any loose batter, then increase the oil temperature to 375°F and fry for 1-2 minutes until a deep golden brown and internal temperature reads at least 165°F, then remove to a wire rack.

  7. In a small saucepan, heat soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sugar, gochugaru, rice vinegar and water over medium heat until bubbling and thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Dip the chicken in the sauce until fully coated. Immediately top the chicken with the mozzarella slices and let them melt or use a torch for extra caramelization.

  8. Spread sriracha mayo on the toasted brioche buns. Assemble the sandwich with the bottom layer of toasted brioche, pickles, slaw, chicken, and the top bun.

    1. Tip 1: Make sure to add a few tablespoons of water in the dry batter, then rub them in with your hands which will create craggily bits that will give the chicken that extra crunch!

    2. Tip 2: When frying, make sure the oil temperature doesn’t drop below 300°F during the first fry (a thermometer is your best friend here!) and fry in smaller batches if needed.

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    Tillamook Whole Milk Mozzarella Slices

Meet the chef

CJ Eats

Chris Joe is a third generation Chinese-American and self-taught home cook who inherited his passion for cooking and eating from his grandfather. With a focus on easy and approachable recipes for the everyday home cook, CJ left his full-time job in 2021 to share his favorite Asian inspired dishes and recipes with his audience. His friendly demeanor and simple approach in the kitchen has led him to amass an audience of over 1.6 million followers across Tik Tok and Instagram.

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