PANKO-CRUSTED
CHICKEN SANDWICH
This is one
of the most popular lunch dishes at Blue Ginger: a crispy, spicy chicken
breast served in a sandwich with mustard, mayo, and shredded iceberg
lettuce. I got the idea for it years ago from a college friend who—weirdly,
I first thought— liked to wrap fried chicken pieces, bone and all, in
squishy white bread before digging in. (He’d eat around the bone.) The
bread would absorb the juices and provide additional chewy texture. I
was soon converted to his tasty (and mess-free) innovation. This version
is much, much suaver and even more addictive.
Serves 4
-
1 cup
all-purpose flour
-
3 eggs,
lightly beaten
-
2 cups
Spiced Panko Bread Crumbs
-
Canola
oil, for frying
-
4 large
skinless chicken breasts, pounded as needed for consistent thickness
-
Kosher
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
-
2
tablespoons Dijon mustard
-
1/4 cup
mayonnaise
-
4 sesame
seed–topped buns, split
-
1 head
of iceberg lettuce, shredded
-
1 large
ripe tomato, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1. Place the
flour, eggs, and panko crumbs in 3 separate shallow dishes.
2. Heat a
large, heavy sauté pan over high heat. Pour in 12 inch of oil and heat.
Meanwhile, season the breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge them in the
flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the breasts in the eggs and then the
panko, and fry the breasts, turning once, until they are golden brown
and their juices run clear when the breasts are pricked with the tip of
a knife, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
3.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mustard and mayonnaise. To
assemble the sandwiches, spread the mustard mixture lightly on the bun
tops and bottoms. Top the bottoms with the lettuce, a fried breast, and
tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and cover with the
bun tops. Halve each sandwich and serve.
