Are you ready to discover the world’s easiest curry?? As in, a real one, made from scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This chicken curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Except it’s African. And you can get everything from regular grocery stores!

African chicken curry – Kuku Paka

Kuku Paka is an African-Indian coconut chicken curry that’s popular with Indian communities in East African countries such as Kenya and Tanzania. Kuku means chicken in Swahili and Paka means delicious in Punjabi. Fun to say. Delicious to eat!

This is a recipe that’s going to make curry lovers extremely happy because it tastes like a legit Indian curry but it’s much easier to make. No hunting down unusual spices! Just regular pantry ones – cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli – combined with ginger, garlic, coconut milk and canned tomato.

Curry connoisseurs will be dubious. How can it taste legit if you don’t have to run all over town trying to find an obscure spice to make it?? Answer: because millions of Africans can’t be wrong!

Ingredients in Kuku Paka – African chicken curry

Just swing by your regular grocery store and you’ll find everything you need!

The chicken

The sauce gets a lot of flavour from the chicken because it doesn’t use chicken stock. So I really urge you to use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces as they are fattier and juicier so they add more flavour into the sauce. I like to use a mix of thighs and drumsticks, but you could just use one or the other.

However, you can use boneless thighs and breast, though my caveat is that the sauce won’t be quite as flavourful. Directions in recipe notes!

Kuku paka sauce

And here’s everything else you need:

• Spices – Cumin, coriander and turmeric for flavour. Chilli or cayenne pepper for spiciness! It’s not a super spicy curry but if you’re concerned about the amount of chilli, reduce or omit then you can add it in at the end, bit by bit.

• Onion, ginger and garlic – Aromatic flavour base. I really urge you to use fresh ginger and garlic, but if you’re out and you are determined to still make this, then substitute with 1 teaspoon of powder instead (add with the other spices). I get it, I’ve been there!

• Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are more water and less coconut. I use Ayam (89% coconut). Low fat coconut milk will work but sauce will be thinner and not as good coconut flavour. You can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with splash of water, add with coconut.

• Canned tomato – Use crushed or finely diced to ensure it breaks down in the simmer time for this recipe. Also, if you know the brand you use is quite sour (economical brands can tend to be) add a smidge of sugar.

• Coriander / cilantro – Some for stirring in, some for garnish. If you’re a coriander hater, substitute with baby spinach or parsley.

• Fresh lemon juice – Just a bit, stirred in at the end, to brighten up the sauce a bit. If you don’t have lemon on hand, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar.

How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

Traditionally, the chicken is char grilled before simmering in the sauce which adds extra flavour. To keep this Monday-night friendly, I’ve opted to pan sear. If you fire up your grill for the chicken, I’ll be impressed!!

1. Season and sear – Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, sear to brown the skin, then remove onto a tray. The skin side of the thighs will take around 4 to 5 minutes, then just cook the flesh side for 1 minute to seal the surface. As for the drumsticks, just do the best you can! I brown 3 sides, about 2 minutes on each side.

   The chicken will still be raw of the inside which is fine because they finish cooking in the sauce.

2. Sauté aromatics and spices – Next, give the onion a head start on the sautéing before adding the ginger and garlic. Once the onion is softened, add the spices and cook them for 30 seconds. This steps makes the flavour in the spices bloom!

3. Sauce – Add the coconut milk, tomato and salt, then stir.

4. Return chicken into the pot, including any juices on the tray. Arrange the chicken so it is submerged as best as possible, though if some is poking out that’s ok as it will steam-cook. Also, the chicken will shrink a bit as it cooks so they will fit better.

5. Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, then 20 minutes with the lid off which will allow the sauce to reduce and thicken. Give it a stir every now and then to ensure the base isn’t catching.

6. Finish & serve – Just before serving, stir in the fresh lemon juice and half the coriander leaves. Serve over rice, garnished with the remaining coriander leaves!

How to serve Kuku Paka

A sauce this good demands rice for soaking! Basmati rice is recommended, though you can use any plain rice, faux rice or even garlic rice (IMAGINE THAT!!).

Then to take it over the top, add a side of flatbreads for dunking / mopping. Homemade would be great. But I’ve opted for frozen store bought that’s actually Malaysian roti, not African. But that flaky buttery flatbread is 100% at home here, as it was with the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup (this roti is going global!)

It too comes from regular grocery stores and I love that it’s cooked from frozen in a pan. And flakes = extra sauce mopping abilities.

Roti or not, I really hope you try this recipe. It’s astoundingly good! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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African coconut chicken curry – Kuku Paka

Recipe video above. Are you ready to discover the world's easiest curry?? As in, a real one, made from scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This chicken curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Except it's African, and you can get everything you need from your regular grocery store.

For a strictly traditional version, sear the chicken over charcoal for chargrilled flavour before adding into the sauce. To make this Monday-night-friendly, I've just pan-seared. Serves 4 hearty appetites or 5 to 6 regular servings.

Course Main

Cuisine african

Keyword african curry, Chicken Curry, Coconut Curry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4 – 6

Calories 631cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Seasoned chicken:

• 4 chicken thigh fillets , skin-on and bone-in (~250g/8oz each) (Note 2)
• 4 chicken drumsticks (~150g / 5oz each) (Note 2)
• 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The curry:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable, canola or other plain oil) (Note 1)
• 1 onion , finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 2 tsp ginger , finely minced
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp pure chilli powder or cayenne pepper , reduce or omit to taste (Note 3)
• 400g / 14 oz coconut milk , full-fat (Note 4)
• 400g / 14 oz crushed canned tomato
• 1 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (sub apple cider vinegar)
• 1/2 cup (lightly packed) coriander/cilantro leaves (sub parsley or baby spinach, or omit)

Serving:

• Basmati rice or other rice, and/or flatbreads or roti (pictured, Note 5)

Instructions

• Season chicken – Pat chicken dry using paper towels then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
• Brown chicken – Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate (it will still be raw inside). Then brown the drumsticks as best you can. I do 3 sides, 2 minutes each side. Transfer to the plate.
• Sauté aromatics – Turn heat down to medium high. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute until softened. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli. Stir for 30 seconds.
• Sauce – Add coconut milk, tomato and salt. Stir, then return chicken into the pot (including juices on the plate). Submerge chicken as best you can.
• Simmer 30 min – Once the sauce comes to a simmer, reduce the heat so it’s bubbling gently. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the base doesn't catch.
• Finish & serve – Stir in lemon and half of the coriander. Lade into bowls and serve garnished with the rest of the coriander!

Notes

1. Coconut oil will give this extra coconut flavour, but you can use regular oil.

2. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are best because they stay juicy in the sauce simmer time required. Boneless thighs and breast will work but sauce flavour won’t be as good (see Ingredients section in post), but you can use them. Whole boneless thighs – sear per recipe then add back in for last 10 min of sauce simmer time. Breast – cut into bite size pieces, simmer only 5 min.

3. Pure chilli powder – not to be confused with US chili powder which is a spice mix. Pure chilli powder is spicy!
Control spiciness – just leave the cayenne / chilli out and stir in bit by bit at the end.

4. Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are more water and less coconut. I use Ayam (89% coconut). Low fat coconut milk will work but sauce will be thinner and not as good coconut flavour. You can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with splash of water, add with coconut.

5. Roti – I am a little obsessed with store bought frozen rotis, the flaky flatbreads that can be cooked from frozen! Readily available at regular grocery stores these days.

6. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings, excluding roti, rice etc.

Nutrition

Calories: 631cal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1062mg | Potassium: 963mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1624IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 6mg

For fellow curry lovers

Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)

Chicken Tikka Masala

Thai Yellow Curry

Butter Chicken

Beef Rendang

Massaman Curry

Rogan Josh

Curries

Life of Dozer

Extreme warm weather over the weekend! So Dozer spent most of Sunday afternoon in this position:

Then he turned around and that was it, he was done for the day. 😂

The post African Chicken Curry – Kuku Paka appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Lightly battered pan-fried chicken breast with an elegant white wine lemon sauce. It’s like Chicken Piccata, but a thicker sauce, more of it, no capers, with subtle lemon flavour. It’s got a terrific crust that soaks up the sauce! Lovely restaurant dish that’s simple to make at home.

Chicken Francese

Chicken breast, being a lean, neutral flavoured protein, is a terrific blank canvas to get creative with. Stuff it, sear it, crumb it, bake it, fry it, marinate it, poach it – see the many, many ways I cook it in my chicken breast recipe collection!

Today, we are battering and saucing. The battering is a little unique. Chicken Francese is dredged in egg then pan fried which gives the chicken a lovely golden crust with excellent sauce clinging capabilities.

Speaking of the sauce! It’s an elegant white wine sauce that’s savoury with a subtle brightness from lemon. It doesn’t taste winey because it’s reduced to cook out the alcohol. And it’s not meant to be really lemony, it just has a subtle flavour from the juices of lemon slices put into the sauce. I personally think most recipes use way too much lemon which makes it lip-puckeringly sour.

Also, not all recipes thicken the sauce, it’s thinner. I am firmly in the thickened sauce camp. Like so:

So, if all that sounds good to you, read on!

Ingredients in Chicken Francese

Here’s what you need to make Chicken Francese:

• Chicken breast is the cut commonly used for Chicken Francese. We only need 2 because we cut them in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total. Get big ones, so one piece makes a sufficient serving for a meal. You could also get chicken breast that’s already cut / pounded thin, usually sold labelled as “chicken schnitzel” here in Australia (it comes un-crumbed).

  Boneless thighs will also work. Pound to even thickness to get a nice flat surface on both sides so the egg batter cooks evenly.

• Eggs and milk whisked together make up the batter than the chicken is dipped in before frying.

• Flour is used to thicken then sauce and for coating the chicken before dipping in the egg. It makes the egg cling better to the chicken and also makes the crust a little bit crispy.

• Wine –  Chardonnay is the best all-rounder cooking wine, in my opinion, for flavour. It is the only white wine I stock for cooking these days. No need to use an expensive one! Pretty well documented by cooking authorities that there’s no need to use expensive wine for cooking. Buy discounted bottles – I use ~$15 bottles discounted to ~$5. 

  Substitute with non-alcoholic white wine. Else, leave out the wine and add 2 – 3 tablespoons lemon juice to make a lovely lemon sauce instead.

• Chicken stock/broth is the other liquid that makes up the sauce.

• Butter for the sauce and olive oil for cooking the chicken. We discard the surplus olive oil (which gets black bits in it) before adding the butter.

• Lemon – Cut into slices then pan fried before adding back into the sauce. A very specific Chicken Francese step! More on this in the How To Make section below.

• Parsley for optional garnish.

How to make Chicken Francese

A nice, leisurely 15 minute cook. We first pan-fry the battered chicken cutlets then make the sauce in the same pan. The chicken is returned into the sauce at the end so the crust gets soaked in the sauce, as well as re-warming the chicken.

1. Cut each breast in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total.

2. Flour coating – Mix flour, salt and pepper on a plate (I use my fingertips). Coat the chicken in the flour first, shaking off excess, then set aside on a plate while you heat the oil in the pan, ready to cook.

3. Egg dredge – Once the oil is hot, dip the chicken in the egg, coating both sides, then hold it up for a couple of seconds to let the excess drip off.

4. Cook chicken – Put the chicken straight into the pan. Then continue to coat the remaining chicken pieces.

5. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes until golden. Flip, lower heat to medium, then cook for 4 minutes until the chicken is golden (target internal temperature 68°C/155°F). Then remove onto a plate. The chicken will rest while we’re making the sauce. It’s ok if it cools down, it will warm up when we put it back in the sauce.

6. Pan fry lemon slices – Next, cook the lemon slices for about 1 1/2 minutes until lightly browned or they become soft (usually the latter for me). In this step, the lemon slices are soaking up the tasty bits left in the pan from cooking the chicken (it’s called fond). This flavour is then released into the sauce when we pop the lemon slices in at the end.

   This is a step that is unique to Chicken Francese! Great technique.

7. Clean the pan by giving it a quick wipe down with paper towels. You’ll see there are lots of black bits from cooking the chicken. No need to wash with detergent, just get rid of most of the black bits.

8. Roux – Next, we move onto the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat then cook the flour for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour flavour. This pasty mixture in the pan is called a roux and this is what thickens the sauce.

9. Make the sauce – While stirring, slowly pour in half the stock. Keep stirring until the roux is mixed into the stock. Then you can pour the remaining stock in along with the wine, salt and pepper. Then mix to combine.

   Lump free! The technique of stirring while you slowly pour in some stock should prevent lumps forming in your sauce. But if you end up with pesky lumps, swish a whisk across the surface of the liquid to remove them, taking care not to scratch the non-stick surface of the pan. Worst case – strain it.

10. Simmer to thicken – Simmer the sauce for around 4 minutes, stirring every now and then, until it thickens into a syrupy consistency.

11. Sauce thickness – This is what you’re aiming for. About the thickness of maple syrup. It will thicken more when the chicken is returned into the pan, from flour bits in the crust mixing into the sauce.

12. Finishing – Once the sauce is the right thickness, it’s time to bring it all together! With the pan still on the stove, pop the chicken pieces back in along with the lemon slices and let it simmer for about 30 seconds to warm through and bring the flavour together.

    Then spoon sauce all over the chicken, then it’s dinnertime!

How to serve Chicken Francese

This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce because it’s hard to make less in large pans. You’ll end up with over a cup in the pan in addition to the sauce clinging to the chicken. That’s a good amount to serve this over mashed potato (or faux mash), rice, or other similar starchy vehicles (risoni/orzo, couscous).

On the other hand, if you choose bread for mopping (as pictured), then you might not use all the sauce. But, having too much sauce is a much more desirable position to be in than not enough sauce (*her heart thuds in fear at the thought*) and this precious liquid gold is going to make your morning scrambled eggs or a plain omelette SO MUCH MORE EXCITING. Who wouldn’t want white wine lemon sauce on their breakfast eggs???! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

UPDATE in response to reader questions – YES I use the leftover egg to make an omelette! There is less than the equivalent of 1 egg left so it makes a thin omelette crepe. As long as you cook the omelette through thoroughly, and because it’s so thin, you can, it is fine to eat even after dipping raw chicken into it!

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Chicken Francese

Recipe video above. Lightly battered pan-fried chicken breast with an elegant white wine lemon sauce. It's like Chicken Piccata, but a thicker sauce, more of it, no capers, with subtle lemon flavour. It's got a terrific crust that soaks up the sauce! Lovely restaurant dish that's simple to make at home.

Doesn't taste winey because the alcohol is cooked out, leaving behind magical flavour only wine can bring to sauces.

Course Mains

Cuisine Western

Keyword chicken breast recipe, chicken francese, chicken french, chicken in white wine sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 368cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Chicken & coating:

• 2 large chicken breasts , skinless boneless (250-300g / 8-10oz each)
• 1/4 cup flour , plain / all-purpose
• 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp milk (any fat %)

Cooking & sauce:

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon , thinly sliced 0.3cm / 1/8″
• 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp flour , plain / all-purpose
• 2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine (Note 1)
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (no pepper!)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley , for garnish (optional)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Cut each breast in half horizontally to form 4 thin steaks in total.
• Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Flour coating – Mix flour, salt and pepper on a plate (I use my fingertips). Coat the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess, then set aside on a plate.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
• Cook chicken – Dip the chicken in the egg, allow excess to drip off, then put into the pan. Cook for 3 minutes until golden. Flip, lower heat to medium, then cook for 4 minutes until the chicken is golden (internal temp 68°C/155°F). Remove onto a plate.
• Lemon – Add the lemon slices to the pan. Cook for a minute or until the lemons go soft / brown, then turn and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Remove onto a plate. (Note 2)
• Wipe the pan clean using paper towels.
• White wine sauce – Still on medium heat, melt the butter in the pan. Add flour and stir for 1 minute using a wooden spoon. While stirring, slowly pour in half the stock. Once the flour is dissolved into the liquid, stir in remaining stock, then the wine and salt. (See Note 3 for lumps tip)
• Thicken sauce – Turn the heat up slightly then simmer for 3 – 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens into a syrupy consistency.
• Sauce it! Return the chicken and lemon slices to the pan, then spoon the sauce all over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley then serve the chicken with the sauce (use it ALL!).

Notes

UPDATE – Yes, I use the leftover egg to make a thin crepe-omelette! Cook it through thoroughly so it’s safe to eat even after dipping raw chicken into it. I actually had this in the video but cut it out because I thought the video was too long!!

---

1. Wine –  Chardonnay is the best cooking wine, in my opinion. Pretty well documented these days that there’s no need to use expensive drinking wine, buy discounted bottles for cooking (I use ~$15 bottles discounted to ~$5). 

Substitute with non-alcoholic white wine. Else, leave out the wine and add 2 – 3 tbsp lemon juice to make a lovely lemon sauce instead.

2. Pan frying the lemon slices makes them soak up the tasty flavour left in the pan by the chicken (it’s called fond!) which is then released into the sauce at the end when we put the lemon slices in. So don’t skip this step!

3. Lumps in sauce – The method of stirring while you slowly pour in some stock should avoid lumps. But if you end up with pesky lumps in your sauce, swish a whisk across the surface of the liquid to remove them, taking care not to scratch the non-stick surface of the pan. Worst case – strain it.

4. Serving – Pictured with pan seared asparagus (drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, pan sear in hot pan until lightly charred. Do this while the sauce is simmering). For sauce mopping, I used bread but mash (or faux mash), rice and similar are excellent sauce-soaking options.

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge though the crust does loosen.

6. Nutrition per serving assuming all the sauce is consumed.

Nutrition

Calories: 368cal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 783mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 507IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

Life of Dozer

It was worth trying.

The post Chicken Francese appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

KFC, eat your heart out! Our Fried Chicken Burger is way crispier than yours, the chicken is way juicier and it tastes way better. The trick is to mix a bit of marinade into the flour coating – this creates lumps that fries up into an awesome ultra crunchy crust. 

Henry’s Ultra Crispy Fried Chicken Burger

Today’s recipe is here courtesy of a young boy named Henry whom I met at a book signing in the NSW regional town of Mudgee. Huddled on the couch of a cosy local book store, he declared his signature dish to be the RecipeTin Fried Chicken. We enthused over how remarkably un-greasy it is and marvelled at how it’s crunchy all over, unlike KFC which we eeewed about how the skin has greasy soggy patches.

Conversation then moved into how we’d use the Fried Chicken to make the BEST fried chicken burger in the world. (Yes, we capitalise it!). We both agreed plain shredded lettuce was better than coleslaw (too rich!), melted cheese was unnecessary (too much!), tomato was optional. and the bun must be super soft.

So here it is. Dedicated to Henry and the town of Mudgee – I present to you, our very best Ultra Crispy Fried Chicken Burger!

Please observe the nubbly, crunchy, craggy surface on the fried chicken!! 🙌🏻

Ingredients

Here’s what you need for homemade Crispy Chicken Burgers.

Chicken brine keeps it juicy!

I use breast because it’s easier to get a nice uniform shape suitable for burgers. It’s marinated in a buttermilk and salt mixture which locks in juices. Essential because breast will cook beyond the ideal internal temperature in the cook time required to make the crust really crispy and golden.

Don’t worry if you don’t have buttermilk, substitute yogurt and milk instead. It works virtually the same!

• Chicken breast is my preference for a relatively uniform shape when trimmed to size. However, boneless chicken thighs work as well. Whichever you use, it’s best to pound to even thickness so it cooks through evenly and sits reasonably straight on the burger.

• Buttermilk – Known for its marinating qualities so the chicken is really juicy inside once cooked. It’s the traditional marinating ingredient used for Southern Fried Chicken which is the fried chicken recipe used for this burger.

  While it’s a common ingredient in the States, it’s more of a speciality baking item here in Australia. But there’s an easy substitute that works virtually the same – just plain yogurt and milk! The acidity and thickness of yogurt diluted with milk results in almost the same consistency as buttermilk, and yogurt is excellent for marinating (proof here!).

• Salt – For seasoning and increase the chicken’s juiciness.

• Egg – To make the flour crust stick to the chicken.

KFC 11 secret herbs and spices!

The flavour of the fried chicken is a copycat of KFC fried chicken. Flavour wise, it is very similar!

• Herbs and spices – No unusual players here, just all the usual suspects! Adjust the cayenne pepper for the amount of spiciness you want. Simply omit if you don’t want spicy at all!

• Cornflour/cornstarch and flour – For the coating of the chicken to make it fry up ultra crunchy! Cornflour makes it crunchier than just using flour. So why not just use all cornflour? Because it doesn’t go golden when fried, it stays white. On the other hand, flour coated things fry up into a beautiful golden colour! So by using a blend of the two, we get the best of both worlds – crunchy and golden colour.

Burger fixings

Don’t let anyone tell you what you should or should not have on your burger. Though, if you want a copycat better-than-KFC-Burger experience, here’s what you need!

• Soft buns – I use brioche buns because they’re so soft and pillowy, and a little bit sweet like KFC buns. However, you can use any buns you want. (I’d personally avoid ultra chewy / crispy ones though. A little too tough for use in burgers).

• Gherkins/pickles – Just your everyday dill pickles, or whatever takes your fancy. Just a little something to cut through the richness and saltiness of everything else going on inside the burger!

• Lettuce – Good ole’ iceberg lettuce! Nice and fresh, finely slicing it gives it some decent height and a lovely bed for the crunchy chicken to rest on.

• Garlic mayonnaise – KFC doesn’t use garlic mayo, but you and I know that a touch of garlic just makes mayo better. Turns it into aioli, actually!

How to make Crunchy Fried Chicken Burgers

It’s easier than traditional Fried Chicken which is made with bone-in chicken that take longer to fry (~6 to 8 minutes) so you need to be quite accurate with temperature control.

Chicken Burgers, on the other hand, are thinner, boneless pieces and take just 3 to 4 minutes to fry. And because of the shape, you don’t need nearly as much oil.

1. Pound the chicken to 1cm / 0.4″ even thickness. Use freezer bags, ziplock bags or similar (I use a purpose-made product called “Go-Between”) and a meat mallet, or rolling pin. Pounding is recommended so the chicken cooks through evenly and sits a little straighter on the burger. But if you skipped this step, it wouldn’t be a deal breaker.

2. Trim the chicken to the size of the buns, or larger, if you want! It will shrink a touch when it cooks but the crunchy nubbly bits add size.

3. Marinade – Mix the buttermilk, salt and egg. Then add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours. Don’t go much beyond 24 hours, it actually over marinades and makes the texture of the chicken too much like the cold cut chicken slices you buy at the deli. Still nice, but it does change the chicken texture.

4. Crunchy coating – Mix together the flour, cornflour/cornstarch and all the spices.

PS There is no spice mix in the marinade because there is a ton in the coating which is where you want a punch of flavour. If it was in the marinade too, then the whole chicken just tastes the same all the way through. The contrast between chicken flavour inside and intense coating is nicer. KFC tastes like ours ie you can’t taste the seasoning inside the chicken, just on the coating.

5. Marinade flour clumps – This is the trick to the ultra crunchy chicken! Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the marinade into the flour mixture then use your fingers to mix it in. The flour will form little clumps.

   When this sticks to the chicken, it fries up into ultra crunchy nubbly bits. This is what makes this chicken so crunchy! See my Fried Chicken recipe for musings and ravings about this method. Thanks Kenji!

6. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture just prior to frying. Don’t do this in advance and leave it lying around, the chicken will sweat and make the flour soggy.

7. Look at all those clumps! Express pass to crunchy town!

8. Fry in oil for 4 minutes or until golden and crunchy, then drain on paper towels.

   Cooking vessel & oil amount – You will need 2.5cm / 1″ of oil in whatever cooking vessel you use, so the chicken is elevated off the base and will fry evenly all the way around. A heavy based pot like a dutch oven is ideal for safety, even distribution of heat and also because it retains heat well.

   Oil temp – The oil temperature should be 180C/350F. If you don’t have a thermometer (I use a Thermapen) then test by throwing in a small cube of bread. At 180C/350F it should turn golden in 15 seconds. OR stick a bamboo chopstick in and touch the base of the pot – if bubbles immediately rise from floor of pot, oil is hot enough.

   Keeping cooked pieces warm – Because the thin pieces of chicken cook in just 4 minutes, you won’t need an oven to keep the cooked pieces warm. Batch 1 will still be hot when you finish batch 2. However if you are scaling up, keep cooked chicken warm in a 50C/125F pre-heated oven on a rack set over a tray (so the underside doesn’t go soggy).

   ⚠️ Do not touch the chicken for the first 90 seconds, to give the crust a chance to adhere.

Assembling the chicken burgers

1. Garlic mayo – Mix the mayonnaise with grated garlic. Do this at least 15 minutes ahead to give the flavours a chance to meld.

2. Spread the mayo on the lid and base of lightly toasted buns. You can toast in the oven, under a grill or just put the cut face down in a pan on the stove.

3. Assemble – Pile lettuce on the base, top with tomato if using, then chicken, gherkins then the lid.

4. Eating time! Sink your teeth into the burgers while hot and crunchy!

Love to know what you think if you try this! Hand on heart, this really is far superior to KFC burgers. I am not one to shy away from going public with Shameful Food I love (oh, I’ve been busted doing midnight kebab runs multiple times!). But KFC burgers is one thing you will never catch me eating!! – Nagi x

PS If you make a side of homemade fries to serve with these burgers, I’ll be impressed. And if you do a full-blown homemade KFC spread by adding Coleslaw plus Potato and Gravy, I’ll be seriously impressed!

Complete your Homemade KFC spread!

Perfect Crispy French fries

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Ultra Crunchy Fried Chicken Burger

Recipe video above. KFC, eat your heart out! Our Fried Chicken Burger is way crunchier than yours, the chicken is way juicier and it tastes way better! The trick is to mix a bit of marinade into the flour coating – this creates lumps that fries up into an awesome ultra crunchy crust. See my Fried Chicken recipe for ravings and musings about this method. (Thanks Kenji!)

Course Main

Cuisine Western

Keyword crunchy chicken burger, fried chicken burger, KFC burger

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Marinating 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 730cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Chicken choices:

• 2 x 250g/8oz chicken breast (I use this)
• 4 boneless thigh fillets

Marinade:

• 3/4 cup buttermilk (Note 1 for sub)
• 1 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1 large egg

Burgers:

• 4 soft buns , split and lightly toasted (mine are 10cm/4″)
• 2 – 3 cups iceberg lettuce , finely sliced (or other leafy greens of choice)
• 2 tomatoes , sliced (optional, sometimes I do)
• 2 gherkins / dill pickles , sliced on an angle

Garlic mayo:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise , preferably whole egg
• 3/4 tsp garlic , finely grated (1 clove)

Crunchy coating:

• 3/4 cup flour , plain / all purpose
• 1/4 cup corn flour / cornstarch

Fried chicken seasoning:

• 1/4 tsp celery salt (or heaped 1/8 tsp celery seed)
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (inc to 1/2 tsp for spicy ZINGER burger!)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper

To fry:

• 3 cups vegetable oil (or canola or peanut) (2.5cm/1″ depth in cooking vessel)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Shortform recipe:
• Pound chicken to 1cm / 0.4" thickness, trim, marinade 3 – 24 hrs. Mix coating and seasoning, mix in 2 tbsp marinade. Coat chicken, fry at 180°C/350°F for 4 min (don't touch for first 90 sec). Assemble!
• Full instructions:
• Chicken – Cover the chicken with a freezer bag or plastic sheet and pound to 1cm / 0.4" even thickness. Trim to just a touch larger than the size of your bun. Save off-cuts for another use (stir fry – or Dozer, in my case!).
• Marinade – Whisk Marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add chicken, toss. Marinate in the fridge for 3 hours minimum, to overnight (don't go beyond 24 hrs).
• Garlic mayo – Mix in a small bowl and refrigerate until required.
• Prepare crunchy coating – Mix flour, cornflour and Seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the marinade, then use fingers to mix through to form lumps – when this sticks to the chicken, it fries up into awesome crunchy bits!!
• Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over medium high heat to 180°C/350°F (Note 2).
• Coat chicken – Pick up a piece of chicken and allow excess marinade to drip off. Press to coat in flour coating. Shake off excess, then fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden. DO NOT TOUCH for the first 90 seconds to allow the coating to adhere. I fry 2 at a time. Drain on paper towels, cook remaining chicken.
• Assemble – Smear garlic mayo on the top and bottom of the buns. Pile lettuce on the base, top with tomato if using. Then chicken, gherkins and put the lid on. Sink your teeth into it immediately and enjoy!

Notes

1. Buttermilk is the traditional marinating ingredient for Southern Fried Chicken. Find it in near milk in large grocery stores. Sub with 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup milk, it works nearly as well (yogurt is an excellent marinading ingredient). Next best sub: stir 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar into milk, leave 10 minutes. Will curdle. Use per recipe.

2. Frying vessel – I feel safe using a heavy cast iron pot. For most oil efficiency, use a wok – shape means you will use about 30% less oil with same surface area for frying. If you have a deep fryer, I salute you!

Oil temperature – use a thermometer. If you don’t have one, test by throwing in a small cube of bread, at 180C/350F it should turn golden in 15 seconds. OR stick a bamboo chopstick in and touch the base of the pot – if bubbles immediately rise from floor of pot, oil is hot enough.

3. Re-using oil – The oil gets a little too dirty with fried chicken, because of the heavy seasoning in the coating. You could re-use it once more for another batch of this recipe, but I wouldn’t use it for another recipe.

4. Leftover cooked chicken will keep for 3 days but, well, you know. Soggy.

Nutrition per burger. Estimate assuming 1 tablespoon of the oil is absorbed into the chicken coating and takes into account residual flour and marinade that is discarded.

Nutrition

Calories: 730cal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1615mg | Potassium: 717mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 982IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 4mg

Life of Dozer

Explanation of his forlorn look: He’s not allowed in the kitchen when I deep fry. So he slunk off outside for a snooze. By the time he woke up and waddled back inside, the burgers were long gone and I was roasting vegetables. Explanation complete.

The post Henry’s Crispy Fried Chicken Burger appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

This Golden Coconut Chicken Curry blows me away every time I make it – and I’ve been making it a lot lately! Such a beautiful spice blend, with turmeric making the coconut curry sauce a warm yellow colour. Thai vibes. Easy. Swoon-worthy!

A really great but easy coconut chicken curry

Regular readers know I love my curries. Especially Thai and Indian ones – though the good ole’ retro chicken curry and curried sausages will always have a place in my heart!

But on days when I have a hankering for a really good from-scratch curry but don’t have the time for blitzing fresh curry pastes, this is what I’m making on repeat. It’s got Thai vibes with a hint of Indian undertones, like a less shrimpy version of Thai Yellow Curry with a whisper of Massaman Curry.

It’s very, very good. And though not a traditional Thai curry recipe (as far as I know), it tastes very authentic. (You know what I mean!)

-> If you’re after something similar (ie. still easy) but with more Indian vibes, head straight to my Easy Pumpkin Lentil Coconut Curry!

Ingredients in Golden Coconut Chicken Curry

Don’t skip the star anise and cinnamon stick, and really try to use fresh turmeric rather than dried – for maximum flavour.

aromatics and spices

First up, the sauce flavourings:

• Turmeric – Been a bit of a trendy ingredient in recent years, revered for its nutritional benefits, most notably arthritis relief. It looks like and has the same texture as ginger but is bright orange inside. When cooked, it turns things bright yellow! Stains like buggery so don’t wear white when using it, and grate onto non-porous things (like a plate).

  Turmeric powder – While fresh turmeric will give the best flavour and colour, dried can be used as an easier alternative. I’ve made it with dried turmeric and it’s still delicious!

• Ginger and garlic – Fresh is the only way! The jarred stuff is sour and tastes nothing like the real thing. As with the turmeric, we finely grate them, for maximum flavour extraction.

• Garam masala – Indian spice mix that’s common these days, in the spice aisle of normal grocery stores. It’s got more flavour than basic curry powders. But – your everyday curry powder will be an adequate substitute!

• Fennel powder – I know this one isn’t a staple so don’t make a special trip if you don’t have it. Just use more garam masala!

• Cumin and coriander – Staple spices!

Add-ins and sauce

• Chicken – Thigh is best because it stays juicy. Breast and tenderloin will work but won’t be quite as juicy. Prawns/shrimp and fish pieces are GREAT in this curry – plonk them in in the last 3 minutes.

• Broccoli – Cut them into little florets so they are spoon-eating-size. You can also use the stem – just peel and dice.

• Coconut cream is thicker so makes the sauce thicker. Also has stronger coconut flavour. Both good things! If using coconut milk, suggest thickening the sauce slightly. Mix 2 teaspoons cornflour/cornstarch with a small splash of water, then mix in towards the end.

• Chicken stock/broth – Gives the sauce more flavour. If using just water, it’s just a little lacking.

• Onion – For sautéing at the beginning.

Garnishes

I just realised, the coriander / cilantro is not just a garnish. A good handful is mixed into the sauce. Great finishing touch.

• Coriander / cilantro – As mentioned above, a good handful to mix into the sauce plus extra for sprinkling on top.

  If you’re in the I Hate Coriander club, feel free to skip this. I’d just sprinkle with green onion slices instead.

• Crispy Shallots – Crispy, salty, oily pops of goodness. Find them in the Asian aisle, cheaper at Asian stores. I love them so much and use them so frequently I even wrote about them here.

How to make it

OK! The making part. Nice and straightforward. Just a specific order in which things are toasted / sautéed / simmered / added into the pot. There’s reasons!

1. Toast the cinnamon stick and star anise for 2 minutes. This really brings out lovely flavour that is then imparted into the sauce, so don’t skip this step!

2. Cook chicken – Next, sauté the onion for 2 minutes to soften, then add the chicken. Cook for 3 minutes or until the outside turns white and you can no longer see pink. The inside will still be raw which is what we want – this ensures the chicken is not overcooked by the time the sauce is finished simmering.

3. Toast spices – Add the grated garlic, ginger and turmeric, and stir for 1 minute. Then add the spice mix and stir for 30 seconds. Toasting the fresh and dried spices is a key step, like with the star anise and cinnamon, to bring out and improve the flavour. So much more flavoursome than just dumpling spices into liquid!

4. Simmer 12 minutes – Stir in the coconut cream and chicken stock/broth, then simmer for 12 minutes. Simmer energetically, not a slow simmer like when making stocks and stew, because we want the sauce to reduce to concentrate the flavour and thicken slightly. And we want this to happen quick – before the chicken is overcooked!

5. Broccoli 3 minutes – Next, stir in the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes. That’s all it will take to soften, because you cut the florets into small spoon-size, just as the recipe asks you to do. Right?!

6. Finish the coconut curry off by stirring in the fresh coriander. Let it cool for 5 minutes or so – there will be a LOT of heat in that pot! Cooling slightly also allows the sauce to thicken a bit.

   Now, the best step – EATING time!

How to serve this curry

Serve over rice with a sprinkle of my favourite crispy fried shallots and some more fresh coriander/cilantro. Jasmine or basmati rice are on point. Otherwise, any other plain rice of choice. Or even cauliflower rice for the low-carbers out there!

Love to know what you think if you make this. Curious to see if it’s just Team RecipeTin that’s madly obsessed with this coconut curry, or if it’s a universal thing. I’m banking on the latter, obviously, which is why I’m sharing this recipe!! – Nagi x

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Golden coconut chicken curry

Recipe video above. This Golden Coconut Chicken Curry blows me away every time I make it – and I've been making it a lot lately! Such a beautiful spice blend, Thai vibes with a whisper of Indian, like a less shrimpy version of Thai Yellow Curry with a hint of Massaman.

Don't skip the star anise and cinnamon stick, and really try to use fresh turmeric rather than dried, for max flavour and yellow colour. All credit to JB for this one, his invention.

*UPDATE: If you skip fresh turmeric and sub other spices and you're using rather old spices (which lose flavour), the recipe won't be as good as the rave reviews below and will make me sad*

Course Mains

Cuisine Asian, Indian

Keyword Coconut Curry, turmeric recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 5 people

Calories 517cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp coconut oil , vegetable or canola oil (Note 1)
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 onion , finely diced
• 500g / 1lb chicken thigh fillets , cut into small 1cm / 1/3" slices (Note 2 options!)
• 1 tsp garlic , finely grated
• 1 tsp ginger , finely grated
• 3 tsp turmeric , finely grated (sub 1 1/2 tsp powder, Note 3)
• 2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 400g / 14 oz coconut cream , unsweetened (sub coconut milk, Note 4)
• 1 large head broccoli , florets cut small (can use stem too – peel & dice), or other veg (4 heaped cups)
• 1 cup coriander/cilantro leaves , lightly packed, plus extra for garnish (I'd still make without this)

Spice mix:

• 1 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala (Note 5)
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp fennel powder (sub more garam masala)

Serving

• Crispy fried shallots , store bought, for garnish (Note 6)
• Rice – jasmine or basmati recommended, or other plain rice

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Spice mix – Mix the spices in a small bowl.
• Toast – Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot over medium high heat. Toast the star anise and cinnamon for 2 minutes.
• Add onion, cook for 2 minutes.
• Add chicken, cook for 3 minutes or it's no longer pink on the outside (still raw inside).
• Add aromatics – Add garlic, ginger and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add spice mix and stir for 30 seconds.
• Simmer 12 minutes – Add stock and coconut cream. Stir and bring to an energetic simmer. Cook for 12 minutes (no need to stir) so the sauce thickens slightly.
• Add broccoli florets. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until softened.
• Serve – Cool for 5 minutes, this will allow the sauce to thicken slightly. Then stir in coriander and serve with rice (basmati or jasmine especially nice). Garnish with extra coriander and crispy fried shallots.

Notes

1. Coconut oil (the unrefined one that is firm like butter) will add extra coconut flavour into the sauce, if you have it. Recommended! I was out so I didn’t use it in the video.

2. Chicken – Thigh is best because it stays juicy. Breast and tenderloin will work but won’t be quite as juicy. Prawns/shrimp and fish pieces are GREAT in this curry – plonk them in in the last 3 minutes.

3. Turmeric looks like ginger but is bright orange inside, and when cooked it turns things bright yellow. Stains like buggery so don’t wear white when using it, and grate onto non-porous things (like a plate).

4. Coconut cream is thicker so makes the sauce thicker. Also has stronger coconut flavour. Both good things! If using milk, suggest thickening slightly. Mix 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch with a small splash of water, mix in towards the end.

5. Garam masala – Indian spice mix that’s common these days, in the spice aisle of normal grocery stores. It’s got more flavour than basic curry powders. But – your everyday curry powder will be an adequate substitute!

6. Crispy Shallots – Crispy, salty, oily pops of goodness. Find them in the Asian aisle, cheaper at Asian stores. I love them so much and use them so frequently I even wrote about them here.

7. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings, curry only (not rice).

Nutrition

Calories: 517cal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 846mg | Potassium: 919mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 686IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 5mg

Life of Dozer

Look who was in the paper on the weekend! And they stuck me in it too. 😂 In case you want to read it, the online version of the article is here.

The post Golden coconut chicken curry appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.