Sticky Fried Chicken & Rice with a Smashed Cucumber Salad
Sticky Fried Chicken & Rice with a Smashed Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breast, cut into quarters and lightly bashed flat
- 2 cups neutral oil, for frying, or more as needed
For the Dry Dredge
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- 1 cup corn flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Marinade
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
- 1/4 cup water
- as needed salt
- as needed black pepper
For the Sticky Sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
For the Garlic Rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 cup white rice, washed
- 1 1/2 cups water
- pinch salt
For the Smashed Cucumber Salad
- 1 cucumber
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
For Serving
- 2 lime cheek
- as needed fried shallots
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into quarters. Place the chicken pieces on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, and lightly bash them flat using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan until they are of even thickness (about 1/2 inch).
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the dry dredge: In a large bowl, combine the self-raising flour, corn flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chicken bouillon, curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine all ingredients thoroughly and set aside.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Prepare the marinade: In a blender cup, add the roughly chopped white onion, 2 garlic cloves, gochujang, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, bicarbonate soda, 1/4 cup water, and salt and black pepper to taste. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Marinate the chicken: Pour the blended marinade over the prepared chicken pieces in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the dry dredge mixture to the chicken and marinade. Using a gloved hand, mix and coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade. Cover the bowl and set the chicken aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 30 minutes, while you prepare other components.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Cook the garlic rice: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the grated garlic cloves and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the washed white rice, 1 1/2 cups of water, and a pinch of salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy and fragrant. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
⏱️ 25 min
- 6
Prepare the smashed cucumber salad: Place the cucumber on a cutting board. Use the side of a large knife or a rolling pin to smash the cucumber until it breaks into irregular pieces. Roughly chop the smashed cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the smashed and chopped cucumber to a bowl. Add a pinch of salt, granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and the chopped fresh coriander. Toss all ingredients together to combine. Chill the cucumber salad in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Prepare the sticky sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, and the chopped garlic cloves. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy. Keep warm.
⏱️ 7 min
- 8
Coat the chicken for frying: When ready to cook, heat 2-3 cups of neutral oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Take the marinated chicken pieces and place them into the dry dredge mixture. Press firmly to ensure every surface of the chicken is thoroughly covered. To create extra craggly bits, sprinkle a few drops of the remaining marinade liquid into the dry dredge mixture and mix it with the flour, then press the chicken into this textured dredge again.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Fry the chicken (double fry method): Carefully place 2-3 coated chicken pieces into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes until it is lightly blonde and just cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oil and let it rest on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Once all chicken has had its first fry and rested for 5 minutes, return the chicken to the hot oil for a second fry for 3-4 minutes, or until it is deeply golden brown and ridiculously crispy. Maintain oil temperature at 350°F (175°C).
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 10
Season and sauce the chicken: Remove the crispy fried chicken from the oil and place it back on the wire rack. Immediately dust it with a pinch of salt. Using a pastry brush, liberally brush the warm sticky sauce over both sides of the hot fried chicken.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Serve: Arrange the fluffy garlic rice on serving plates. Place the sauced sticky fried chicken next to the rice. Add a generous portion of the chilled smashed cucumber salad. Garnish each plate with a lime cheek (essential for a squeeze of fresh acidity) and a sprinkle of fried shallots.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sticky Fried Chicken & Rice with a Smashed Cucumber Salad
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breast, cut into quarters and lightly bashed flat
- 2 cups neutral oil, for frying, or more as needed
For the Dry Dredge
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- 1 cup corn flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Marinade
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
- 1/4 cup water
- as needed salt
- as needed black pepper
For the Sticky Sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
For the Garlic Rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 cup white rice, washed
- 1 1/2 cups water
- pinch salt
For the Smashed Cucumber Salad
- 1 cucumber
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
For Serving
- 2 lime cheek
- as needed fried shallots
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into quarters. Place the chicken pieces on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, and lightly bash them flat using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan until they are of even thickness (about 1/2 inch).
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the dry dredge: In a large bowl, combine the self-raising flour, corn flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chicken bouillon, curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine all ingredients thoroughly and set aside.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Prepare the marinade: In a blender cup, add the roughly chopped white onion, 2 garlic cloves, gochujang, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, bicarbonate soda, 1/4 cup water, and salt and black pepper to taste. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Marinate the chicken: Pour the blended marinade over the prepared chicken pieces in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the dry dredge mixture to the chicken and marinade. Using a gloved hand, mix and coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade. Cover the bowl and set the chicken aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 30 minutes, while you prepare other components.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Cook the garlic rice: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the grated garlic cloves and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the washed white rice, 1 1/2 cups of water, and a pinch of salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy and fragrant. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
⏱️ 25 min - 6
Prepare the smashed cucumber salad: Place the cucumber on a cutting board. Use the side of a large knife or a rolling pin to smash the cucumber until it breaks into irregular pieces. Roughly chop the smashed cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the smashed and chopped cucumber to a bowl. Add a pinch of salt, granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and the chopped fresh coriander. Toss all ingredients together to combine. Chill the cucumber salad in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Prepare the sticky sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, and the chopped garlic cloves. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy. Keep warm.
⏱️ 7 min - 8
Coat the chicken for frying: When ready to cook, heat 2-3 cups of neutral oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Take the marinated chicken pieces and place them into the dry dredge mixture. Press firmly to ensure every surface of the chicken is thoroughly covered. To create extra craggly bits, sprinkle a few drops of the remaining marinade liquid into the dry dredge mixture and mix it with the flour, then press the chicken into this textured dredge again.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Fry the chicken (double fry method): Carefully place 2-3 coated chicken pieces into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes until it is lightly blonde and just cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oil and let it rest on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Once all chicken has had its first fry and rested for 5 minutes, return the chicken to the hot oil for a second fry for 3-4 minutes, or until it is deeply golden brown and ridiculously crispy. Maintain oil temperature at 350°F (175°C).
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 10
Season and sauce the chicken: Remove the crispy fried chicken from the oil and place it back on the wire rack. Immediately dust it with a pinch of salt. Using a pastry brush, liberally brush the warm sticky sauce over both sides of the hot fried chicken.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Serve: Arrange the fluffy garlic rice on serving plates. Place the sauced sticky fried chicken next to the rice. Add a generous portion of the chilled smashed cucumber salad. Garnish each plate with a lime cheek (essential for a squeeze of fresh acidity) and a sprinkle of fried shallots.
⏱️ 2 min