Making The KFC Double Down At Home | But Better

KFC brought back their famous Double Down for 4 weeks. That might have been 4 weeks too long.

Mandoline I Use: https://amzn.to/3U1hXyY

INGREDIENTS:

Fried Chicken:

• 2 cups (473ml) buttermilk

• 1 tablespoon (11g) salt

• 1 ½ teaspoons (8g) MSG

• 2 teaspoons (6g) white pepper

• 1 tablespoon (6g) sweet paprika

• 1 tablespoon (10g) garlic powder

• 8 small boneless chicken thighs

11 Herbs and Spices

• 3 cups (450g) of all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons (24g) kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons (9g) MSG

• 1 tablespoons (9g) sweet paprika

• 1 ½ teaspoons (9g) ground white pepper

• 2 teaspoons (5g) mustard powder

• 2 teaspoons (5g) celery powder

• 1 tablespoon (12g) garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons (6g) black pepper, fresh ground

• 2 ½ teaspoons (5g) ginger powder

• 1 teaspoons (1g) dried thyme, crushed

• 1 teaspoons (0.8g) dried oregano, crushed

• Vegetable oil for frying

Bread and butter pickles

• ¼ cup (75g) kosher salt

• 2 cup (480ml) white vinegar

• ½ cup ( 120ml) water

• 1 cup (200g) sugar

• 2 tablespoons (30g) mustard seed

• 1 teaspoon (5g) celery Seed

• 1 ½ teaspoons (>1g) turmeric powder

• 3 pickling cucumbers, cut on rounds

• Cajun Remoulade

• 3 tablespoons (63g) Creole Mustard

• 2 tablespoons (28g) fresh horseradish, grated

• 2 tablespoons (9g) Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 ½ teaspoons (5g) lemon Juice

• 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked Paprika

• ½ teaspoon (>1g) cayenne Powder

• 2 teaspoon (3g) Cajun seasoning

• 2 Garlic clove, grated

• 1 tablespoon (15g) Louisiana hot sauce

• 2 tablespoons (28g) water

• 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil

• 2 egg yolks

• ½ teaspoon (3g) salt

• ½ teaspoon (1g) pepper

• 1 tablespoon (2g) parsley, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons (1g) chives, very thinly sliced

Double Down Assembly:

• 4 slices of American cheese

• 1 lb bacon, cooked

• Bread and butter pickles

• Cajun remoulade for spreading

The Quadruple Down (Double Down Chimichanga):

• 1x Double Down Recipe

• 6 large flour tortillas

• 1 cup (140g) grated Monterey jack cheese

• Sour cream for serving

• Cilantro for garnishing

• Beans

Pico:

• 1 tomato, very finely diced

• 1 jalapeno, brunoise

• ½ red onion, brunoise

Beans for Quadruple Down:

• 1 15.5 oz can (439g) pinto beans

• 5 cloves garlic, sliced thin

• 1 white onion, very finely chopped

• 2 tablespoon (32g) tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon (8g) smoked paprika

• 2 teaspoons (4g) ancho powder

• Salt and pepper to taste

• ½ cup (125mL) chicken stock

Jalapeno Avocado Salsa Base:

• 7 (350g) jalapeño

• 1 (300g) avocado

• 10 (30g) cloves garlic

• 1/2 bunch cilantro

• Water for blending

• Salt to taste

• ½ cup (125mL) vegetable oil for emulsifying

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fried Chicken:

Marinade:

1. In a large bowl, add buttermilk, salt, MSG, white pepper, sweet paprika, and garlic powder. Whisk until combined, then add chicken thighs and drumsticks; toss to coat and let it marinate at room temperature for 5 minutes, or ideally overnight in the fridge.

Dredge:

1. In a medium bowl, add flour and all the spices and whisk until combined.

2. Fill up a heavy bottom pot just over halfway, at least 2 inches of vegetable oil. Heat to 330F.

3. Drizzle a few tablespoons of your marinade into the flour mixture, and toss to create little balls of dredge. Remove one piece of chicken from the marinade, then toss and press your chicken into the dredge until each piece is fully coated. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

4. In 2 to 3 batches, gently lay down your chicken into your hot oil, and fry for 6 - 8 minutes or until deep golden brown, and your thermometer reads 165F. Remove and drain on a wire rack and repeat with the rest of your chicken.

Cajun Remoulade:

1. In a tall container or glass combine two egg yolks, garlic, mustard, water and lemon juice in that order. Then add salt to taste.

2. Pour vegetable oil, and use a hand blender to beat the mixture. It will turn homogeneous fairly quickly. Blend on high until the consistency is as thick as mayonnaise.

3. Place into a bowl and fold in the rest of the ingredients.

Bread and butter pickles:

1. Combine all liquid ingredients in a medium saucepot and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat.

2. Pack cucumbers in a glass jar and pour the hot liquid over. Cover and let cool.

Jalapeno Avocado Salsa:

1. Over an open flame, char the outside of the jalapeños. Place them into a heat resistant bowl and cover with plastic wrap. The jalapeños will soften after 5 minutes

2. After 5 minutes, use a paper towel to remove the charred skin off of the jalapeños. Remove seeds

3. In a blender combine avocado, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro and a splash of water to allow the blender blade to move.

4. Start to blend on low to medium speed and increase speed gradually. Drizzle oil in the blender to emulsify

5. Remove from the blender into a bowl.Add salt and lime juice to taste.

Beans:

1. In a medium sauce pot, combine oil, garlic, onion, salt over medium high heat.

2. Sauté for 5 minutes, add chicken stock when the vegetables begin to brown.

3. Add tomato paste, paprika, ancho powder, and beans.

4. Bring to a simmer and turn down the heat. The beans should absorb most of the liquid. This should take 5 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and set aside

FILLING AND ASSEMBLY

Double Down Filling

• Two fried chicken thighs

• 3-4 slices of bacon (something thick and PERFECT looking, like cartoonishly perfect)

• Swiss cheese

• American cheese

• Cajun remoulade

Assembly

1. Place one of the fried chicken thighs on a plate, this will be the bottom of the sandwich.

2. Add a slice of American and a slice of Swiss cheese to the top of the fried chicken thigh, and use the oven or a torch to melt the cheese.

3. Then add 3 slices of bacon and as many pickles you would like to the top of the cheese

4. Spread Remoulade on the other fried chicken thigh. Place fried chicken thigh with sauce side down on top of the pickles.

Quadruple Down Filling (Double Down Chimichanga)

• 1x Double Down Recipe

• 6 large flour tortillas

• 1 ball Oaxaca cheese

• 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese

• Sour cream for serving

• Cilantro for garnishing

Assembly

1. Place half Double down recipe on a warm tortilla. Add pico, bean, and cheese.

2. Roll into a burrito, being very careful not to rip. Using toothpick, secure the outer edge

3. Fry in oil heated to 350F.

4. On a plate put jalapeno salsa in the center, and the chimichanga on top.

5. Garnish with sour cream, pico, and cilantro.