If you're a fan of Hillstone restaurants, you're familiar with the Ding's Crispy Chicken Sandwich that graces the Honor Bar menu. It's the Fried Chicken Sandwich of your dreams and today... I turned it into a salad. Please welcome the Fried Chicken Salad and make it as soon as humanly possible!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 4-6 ounce skinless boneless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Dalkin&Co's Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Brioche Croutons
- ½ loaf brioche bread a few days old
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Kale Cabbage Slaw Salad
- 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
- 2 cups finely shredded kale
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup cubed fontina cheese
For the Dressing
- ¾ cup peanut oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Place the chicken breasts in a plastic bag, one at a time, and pound them so they are about ½ inch thick throughout its entirety.
- Prepare 3 bowls, one with flour, salt, pepper, Dalkin&Co's Lemon Pepper Seasoning, one with whisked eggs and the last with Panko bread crumbs.
- Place each piece of chicken in the flour, coating both sides, and shaking off any excess. Next dunk it into the whisked egg – let any excess liquid drain off. Next, coat it with the Panko breadcrumbs.
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully place one piece of Chicken Schnitzel into the pan and let it cook for 3-5 minutes and then flip it over to finish cooking. Each piece should be golden brown on both sides.
- Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken. Once all the chicken is cooked, give it all a generous squeeze of lemon, and season with more salt as needed.
For the Brioche Croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Tear the bread into medium bite sized PIECES. Transfer cubed bread to a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the bread with the olive oil and butter and then sprinkle with garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Using your hands, gently toss the croutons and make sure they are coated with all the oils, butters and seasonings.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool before serving
For the Dressing:
- Whisk all ingredients together and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
For Assembly:
- In a large serving bowl put the slaw, chicken, croutons and dressing and toss to combine. Add chives and extra salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer! This is critical for ensuring that your chicken is cooked through to perfection without being overcooked or dry. Aim for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pound your chicken breasts so they are about ½″ thick, this makes it uniform so it cooks faster and more evenly.
- Use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron creates even heat distribution which helps to create that perfect golden brown exterior we all crave.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. This will lower the temperature of the oil and result in soggy, greasy chicken. Instead, cook in batches if necessary.
- Let it rest! After cooking, allow your chicken to rest on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before adding to the salad.