DELUXE HERBED CHICKEN CIABATTA WITH FRIED PAPRIKA ONION RINGS

Turn your chook sandwiches into gourmet fare for picnics and parties.

Preparation time 15 mins plus soaking Cooking time 15 mins

Serves 6

4 brown onions, sliced into 3cm rings 300ml buttermilk

Rice bran oil or olive oil, for frying

Plain flour and smoky paprika, to dust Sea-salt flakes, to season

150g spreadable butter

6 ciabatta rolls, sliced lengthways

HERBED CHICKEN

250g mayonnaise

100g plain yoghurt

4 green shallots, white part only, finely sliced

21/2 tsp green Tabasco

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

11/2 tsp sea-salt flakes

1 tsp ground white pepper

650g roasted chicken, breasts and

thighs, shredded with some skin

4 stalks yellow celery heart, diced, plus 20 small yellow celery leaves, plus extra leaves, to serve

1/2 bunch watercress, picked and chopped, plus extra, to serve

1/2 bunch dill, leaves picked and roughly chopped, plus extra, to serve

1/4 bunch parsley, leaves picked and finely sliced

STEP 1 Put onion rings and buttermilk in a large bowl. Soak for 1 hour.

STEP 2 Meanwhile, to make herbed chicken, mix mayonnaise, yoghurt, shallot, Tabasco, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in chicken, celery, watercress and herbs. STEP 3 Heat 15cm oil in a large saucepan over high heat to 180°C. Drain onion, discarding milk. Dust with flour. Fry in batches, for 4 minutes, until golden – don’t overcrowd pan. Drain on paper towel. Season with salt and dust with paprika. Keep warm.

STEP 4 Butter the rolls. Fill with herbed chicken and top with extra celery leaves and extra herbs. Serve with onion rings.

SIMPLICITY AND FLAVOUR COMBINE TO CREATE DELECTABLE TREATS TO SHARE