Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Spicy Slaw
Rich fried chicken needs a full-bodied wine match, and fruity, floral Viognier fits the bill. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
In a bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, mint, cilantro, and chile. Stir in lime juice and olive oil and season to taste with salt.
Step 2
2
In a pie plate mix flour, cornmeal, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and cayenne. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg to combine. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, dip into buttermilk mixture, then return to flour mixture, turning to coat all sides.
Step 3
3
Pour 1 in. of oil into a 5- or 6-qt. pan over medium-high heat. When oil reaches 350°, add chicken in a single layer (in batches if necessary), and cook until well browned all over and no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 6 minutes per batch. As chicken is done, transfer to paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Step 4
4
Spread sandwich rolls with mayonnaise. Divide chicken among rolls and top generously with slaw.
Step 5
5
Wine note: Typically full of honeyed tangerine, peach, and honeysuckle, Viognier--the great white grown in France's Rhône Valley--is rich but, at its best, crisp and minerally too. It pairs well with creamy sauces and aromatic spices. Leaner versions stand up to spicy Thai and Vietnamese flavors; richer ones are good matches for nuts, cheese, mild Indian curries, and sweet shellfish.
Step 6
6
Our picks:
Step 7
7
Alban Viognier 2005 (Central Coast; $23). An orchard full of peach-blossom aromas followed by orange-honey flavors wrap around the chicken sandwiches.
Step 8
8
Clos LaChance Estate Viognier 2005 (Central Coast; $20). A peachy, citrusy minerality--call it wet stones--picks up on the mint and cilantro in the slaw on the sandwiches.
Step 9
9
Note: Nutritional analysis is per sandwich.
Ingredients
2 cups finely shredded red and/or green cabbage
1 medium carrot, coarsely shredded
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced serrano chile
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
About 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken breasts, rinsed, dried, and cut at an angle across grain into 1-in.-thick strips
Vegetable oil for frying
6 long, soft sandwich rolls, split
Mayonnaise
Directions
Step 1
1
In a bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, mint, cilantro, and chile. Stir in lime juice and olive oil and season to taste with salt.
Step 2
2
In a pie plate mix flour, cornmeal, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and cayenne. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg to combine. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, dip into buttermilk mixture, then return to flour mixture, turning to coat all sides.
Step 3
3
Pour 1 in. of oil into a 5- or 6-qt. pan over medium-high heat. When oil reaches 350°, add chicken in a single layer (in batches if necessary), and cook until well browned all over and no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 6 minutes per batch. As chicken is done, transfer to paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Step 4
4
Spread sandwich rolls with mayonnaise. Divide chicken among rolls and top generously with slaw.
Step 5
5
Wine note: Typically full of honeyed tangerine, peach, and honeysuckle, Viognier--the great white grown in France's Rhône Valley--is rich but, at its best, crisp and minerally too. It pairs well with creamy sauces and aromatic spices. Leaner versions stand up to spicy Thai and Vietnamese flavors; richer ones are good matches for nuts, cheese, mild Indian curries, and sweet shellfish.
Step 6
6
Our picks:
Step 7
7
Alban Viognier 2005 (Central Coast; $23). An orchard full of peach-blossom aromas followed by orange-honey flavors wrap around the chicken sandwiches.
Step 8
8
Clos LaChance Estate Viognier 2005 (Central Coast; $20). A peachy, citrusy minerality--call it wet stones--picks up on the mint and cilantro in the slaw on the sandwiches.
Step 9
9
Note: Nutritional analysis is per sandwich.
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