KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH WITH SPICY CHILI AIOLI AND KIMCHI SLAW

Serves: 4

1/4 cup (60 mL) soy sauce 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro 2 tsp (10 mL) piri piri or sambal hot chili paste 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lime juice 1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh ginger 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 2 cups (500 mL) buttermilk 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh black pepper 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt 4 eggs, beaten 4 cups (1 L) corn flakes cereal, crushed Peanut or vegetable oil ( for frying) 4 white sandwich buns, toasted

SPICY CHILI AIOLI

1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise 1 garlic clove, finely grated 2 tbsp (30 mL) spicy chili sauce

KIMCHI SLAW

2 cups (500 mL) finely shredded green cabbage 1 cup (250 mL) kimchi, sliced 1/2 cup (125 mL) matchstick carrots 1/4 cup (60 mL) mayonnaise 1 tbsp (15 mL) rice vinegar

1. Place soy sauce, cilantro, garlic, hot chili paste, lime juice and ginger into a blender and blend until smooth. Place chicken in a shallow dish and coat thoroughly with this sauce mixture. Refrigerate and let marinate at least 1 hour (or overnight).

2. Slaw: In a medium bowl stir together cabbage, kimchi, carrots, mayonnaise and vinegar until well coated; set aside.

3. Aioli: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic and spicy chili sauce; set aside.

4. In a medium shallow bowl, mix together flour, pepper and salt. Place buttermilk in another shallow bowl; set aside.

5. Pour oil into a large heavy skillet to a depth of 3/4-inch (2-cm). Prop deep-fry thermometer in oil so bulb is submerged. Heat over medium heat until thermometer registers 350 F (175 C).

6. Remove chicken from fridge. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, remove it from marinade and gently shake off excess marinade. Discard marinade.

7. Dip chicken first in buttermilk, then dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip chicken in egg allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Dredge in crushed corn flakes, shaking off excess.

8. Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

9. Serve chicken on buns slathered with spicy chili aioli and generous helping of kimchi slaw.

This Korean fried chicken sandwich is served with a spicy chili aioli and a kimchi slaw — a creation from chef and television personality Lynn Crawford that marries Canadian staples and global flavours.