It's time to close out the spicy chicken sandwiches today.

INGREDIENTS:

Buns:

• ½ cup (125ml) whole milk

• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (135ml) water

• 2 ½ teaspoons (9g) instant yeast

• 1 egg (48g)

• 1 egg yolk (18g)

• 3 ½ cups (525g) bread flour

• 1g amylase enzyme *optional for viewer*

• ⅓ cup (75g) granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoon (12g) fine sea salt

• 4 ½ tablespoons (63.7g) unsalted butter, softened

• Egg wash, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water whisked together

Chicken:

• 6 chicken thighs

• 3 tablespoon (40g) kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon (14g) sugar

• 2 teaspoon (9g) MSG

• Season and cure overnight

Breading and wash:

• 1 cup (240ml) milk

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon (15g) kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons (9g) MSG

• 1 tablespoon (14g) powdered sugar

• 2 teaspoons (3g) fresh ground black pepper

• 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) ground white pepper

• 1 tablespoon (10g) garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon (14g) smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon (2g) onion powder

• 1.5 teaspoon (4g) cayenne powder

Spicy Seasoning For Chicken:

• 4 teaspoons (8g) shichimi togarashi

• ½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne powder

• ½ teaspoon (1g) smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoons (5g) kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon (5g) sugar

• 1 teaspoon (2g) fresh ground black pepper

Pickles:

• ¼ cup (75g) kosher salt

• 2 cup (480ml) white vinegar

• ½ cup (120ml) water

• 1 cup (200g) white sugar

• 2 tablespoons (30g) mustard seed

• 1 teaspoon (5g) celery Seed

• 1 ½ teaspoons (>1g) turmeric powder

• 3 pickling cucumbers, cut in rounds

Mayo:

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 tablespoon (15g) lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon (7g) shiro dashi

• 2 teaspoons (14g) Dijon mustard

• 1 ½ cup (375ml) vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon (15g) water

• 2 cloves garlic

• Pinch salt

• Pinch togarashi

Assembly:

• Buns

• Butter for toasting buns

• Pickles

• Chicken

• Mayo for topping

For Deluxe version (just for thumbnail options):

• 6 slices pepper jack cheese

• 1 large tomato, sliced thinly

• 1 head Green leaf lettuce, leaves separated out

• Pickles for topping

• Mayo for topping

Fries:

• Frozen Waffle Fries (Ore Ida)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Buns:

1. In a measuring cup, combine milk and water and microwave to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Whisk in instant yeast until fully dissolved. Add the egg, egg yolk, and whisk together until homogenous.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer*, add flour, salt, granulated sugar, and whisk the ingredients together. Add the yeast, and begin stirring on medium low with the dough spiral. Mix for 3-5 minutes, or until smooth. If the dough is dry, add a splash of water.

4. Add butter and thyme and continue stirring on medium low for 2 minutes.

5. Put the dough in a greased bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 1.5 hours, or until doubled.

6. Remove the plastic wrap, and punch the dough down. Divide into 6-8 even pieces of dough and shape each piece of dough into a small ball.

7. Evenly spread out the pieces of dough on a sheet tray lined with greased parchment paper and cover with greased plastic wrap and proof for one hour.

8. Brush each bun with egg wash and top the buns with sesame seeds.

9. Put the sheet into the oven heated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 17-20 minutes.

10. Optional: Brush each bun with melted butter.

*To do it by hand, replace butter with equal parts vegetable oil.

Chicken:

1. In a small mixing bowl combine salt, sugar, and msg

2. Season chicken thighs generously with cure mixture on both sides, and place your chicken on a small tray or in an airtight container

3. Cover chicken with plastic wrap or lid and let them cure in the fridge overnight.

Breading and Wash:

1. In a medium bowl, combine all purpose flour, salt, msg, powdered sugar, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and cayenne powder.

2. In a separate bowl crack and whisk 2 eggs. Once homogenized, whisk in 1 cup of milk and any remaining cure you might have.

3. Lightly dust a small baking sheet with your flour dredge. Dunk a piece of chicken in the milk mixture, then drop into the flour dredge; pressing the flour into the chicken. Once that’s coated, shake off the excess flour and place it on your sheet. Repeat with the rest of your chicken.

Spicy Seasoning For Chicken:

1. In a small mixing bowl combine togarashi, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt, sugar, and fresh ground black pepper

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.

Mayo:

1. Add yolk, mustard, lemon juice, shiro dashi, water, and salt to a large jar or tall glass.

2. Add oil to the top of the mixture. Set the immersion blender on the bottom of the vessel. Turn on the blender and gently pull toward the surface, the mixture will emulsify.

3. Add grated garlic, and togarashi while blending. Use a splash of water to thin the mayo if it is too thick.

FRY:

1. In a large heavy bottomed pot, add vegetable oil, and preheat to 350 F

2. Carefully place the floured chicken in the hot oil, adding no more than 3 thighs at a time.

3. Fry the chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes or until 165F internally.

4. Remove the cooked thighs using a spider or strainer. Place the chicken on a wire rack to cool and drain.

5. Immediately dust the cooked chicken thighs with the spicy chicken seasoning

Assembly:

SPICY CHICKEN SANDWICH:

1. Slice the bun in half horizontally with a sharp knife

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add butter and toast both halves of the bun until they are golden brown, 1 ½ minutes.

3. Place the bottom bun on a plate and add sauce to the bun

4. Place 4 pickles on top of the sauce, and add the cooked chicken thigh

5. On the top bun add more sauce to cover to the edge of the toasted bun.

6. Place the bun on top of the cooked thigh and serve immediately

DELUXE:

1. Slice the bun in half horizontally with a sharp knife

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add butter and toast both halves of the bun until they are golden brown, 1 ½ minutes.

3. Place the bottom bun on a plate and add sauce to the bun

4. Place 4 pickles on top of the sauce

5. Separate Greef leaf lettuce into individual leaves and place lettuce on top

6. Thinly slice tomatoes with a sharp knife, season tomatoes with salt and pepper

7. Add the Spicy Chicken thigh on top of the tomato

8. Add pepperjack and use a torch or the oven to melt the cheese

9. Add mayonnaise to the top bun, ensuring full coverage from edge to edge. Place the top bun on top of the sandwich and serve immediately