Farmer's Fried Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness)
• vegetable oil (for deep frying)
• 1.5 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp paprika (for marinade)
• 1 tsp chili powder (for marinade)
• 1 tsp salt (for marinade)
• 1 tsp black pepper (for marinade)
• 1 tsp granulated garlic (for marinade)
• 2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp paprika (for breading)
• 1 tsp salt (for breading)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp granulated garlic (for breading)
• 1 tsp chili powder (for breading)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper (for breading)
• 1 baguette (sliced at a diagonal)
• 0.5 stick butter
• 0.5 head lettuce
• 0.5 lb smoky bacon
• 1 beefsteak tomato (sliced)
• 1 red onion (sliced)
• 6 slices cheese of choice (optional)
• 0.5 cup Kewpie or other mayo
• 2 tbsp relish
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp garlic chili paste

Steps

1. 1

   Lay cling wrap over the chicken breasts and pound with a rolling pin, other tool, or barbarian fists, until the chicken is evenly thick but not terribly thin.

2. 2

   Remove the cling wrap. Cut the larger breasts until you get your rough desired size, or up to the amount of players you're feeding. Undersized pieces can be enjoyed as tenders.

3. 3

   Combine all the buttermilk marinade ingredients (buttermilk, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp granulated garlic) in a large bowl.

4. 4

   Throw in the chicken and toss evenly. Seal the bowl with cling wrap or a lid, then put in the fridge for 3 hours at least. Overnight is even better.

5. 5

   Remove the chicken from the fridge and let rest for 30 minutes to take the chill off before frying.

6. 6

   In a new bowl combine all the breading ingredients (flour, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, baking powder, oregano, 1 tsp granulated garlic, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper).

7. 7

   Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to get a heavy coat evenly across the meat.

8. 8

   In another pan, fry the bacon until crispy. Save a small amount of the grease for toasting the bread later.

9. 9

   Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Wait for the oil to reach 350°F (175°C).

10. 10

    Carefully place the chicken in the oil in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan and drop the oil temperature.

11. 11

    Fry for 3 minutes per side, then transfer the chicken to a colander placed on top of a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

12. 12

    Mix the sauce ingredients (mayo, relish, honey, garlic chili paste) in a bowl and set aside.

13. 13

    Spread butter on the baguette slices and toast in the bacon pan with a bit of the reserved grease until golden brown.

14. 14

    Slather some sauce on every other slice of baguette.

15. 15

    Stack a chicken breast, lettuce leaf, onion, slice of tomato, bacon, and optional cheese on one regular and one sauced slice of baguette.

16. 16

    Serve to hungry adventurers and get back to your quest!

Notes

The buttermilk marinade makes such a difference in the flavor, infusing so much extra depth into the chicken breast. Traditionally chicken thighs are used in sandwiches like this, but breast can be just as good with the right care. The sauce with the relish offers a creamy, pickle-y heat that compliments the flavors of the chicken so well.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• sandwich
• fried chicken
• DnD inspired
• buttermilk fried chicken
• bacon
• lunch
• dinner