Nacho-fried chicken with coconut-apple slaw
4 to 6
Easy
25 minutes, plus 2 hours’ marinating time (or overnight if possible)
30 minutes
"You know someone has really gone out of their way for you when there’s fried chicken on the seven colours plate. Along with all those other little preparations they’ve got going on, there’s fried chicken, too? Pure love. This chicken is a recipe I’ve been cooking for years, because it just works, and my nieces and nephews go wild for it. I need to have mine with cold coleslaw, so I paired it with this creamy coconut-apple slaw that I like to make with pickled fish, too. Using nacho chips helps with the crunch factor and tastes delicious, too. I use chicken thighs here, but I’m partial to a juicy chicken breast, too. Woolies’ habanero sauce gives this chicken a fiery kick in the pants, but you can omit it if you’re afraid of heat or are preparing it for little ones and it’ll still be extremely good. This chicken on soft brioche buns makes for a priceless midweek dinner or lunchbox the next day." – Khanya Mzongwana
Ingredients
Method
- 1 litre amasi or buttermilk
- 1 T garlic powder
- 1 T onion powder
- 1 T paprika
- 1 T chicken seasoning
- 1.5 kg free-range deboned chicken thighs For the coating:
- 180 g cake flour
- 1 T fresh thyme leaves
- 1 T garlic powder
- 1 T onion powder
- 1 T paprika
- 1 T chicken seasoning
- 100 g Woolworths salsa nacho chips, crushed
- canola oil, for frying
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 T habanero sauce For the slaw:
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into matchsticks
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2 baby cabbages, thinly sliced
- 50 g fresh coconut, thinly sliced
- 50 g whole almonds, roughly chopped For the dressing:
- 1 x 400 g can coconut milk
- 2 limes, juiced
- ¾ cup good-quality mayonnaise
- 2 t honey
Method
Ingredients
1. Combine the amasi or buttermilk with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and chicken seasoning, then add the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight if possible.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the coating, gently stirring in the nacho chips.
3. Remove the chicken from the fridge, shake off the excess marinade, then thoroughly coat each piece in the seasoned flour coating and place on a board.
4. Heat the oil to 160°C in a saucepan or to a medium-high heat. To check whether the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of nacho chip into the oil. If it bubbles and floats immediately, the oil is ready for frying.
5. Gently shake off the excess coating and place the chicken pieces into the oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Serve with the slaw.
6. To make the slaw, place the dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir until completely combined. Add the remaining ingredients and coat in the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook’s note: The slight acidity and enzymes in the amasi (or buttermilk) breaks down the protein in the meat, resulting in super-tender, succulent chicken.
Find more chicken recipes here
Photography: Shavan Rahim
Videography: Romy Wilson
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