How to Make NYC's Ultimate Fried Chicken Sandwich | Pecking House Chef Eric Huang

Perfecting the Fried Chicken Sandwich

• 💡 Chef Eric Huang of Pecking House shares his recipe for the ultimate fried chicken sandwich, emphasizing hot, crispy, juicy chicken on soft bread with QPY mayonnaise, chili oil, and pickles.
• 🍗 Chicken thighs are preferred over breast meat for their superior texture and ability to remain tender when cooked past 185°F, allowing collagen to break down.

The Flavorful Buttermilk Marinade

• 🥣 The marinade starts with buttermilk for its weak acidity and fat content, acting as a binder and improving chicken texture.
• 🧂 A seasoning mix of three parts salt, one part MSG, and one part sugar is used to enhance moisture retention and savory flavor.
• 🌶️ MSG is defended as a safe and beneficial seasoning, contrary to historical misinformation.
• 🌟 The marinade also includes Dijon mustard for mellow savory notes, garlic powder, onion powder, and five-spice powder for a Chinese cooking influence.
• 🍞 A unique addition of flour to the marinade helps absorb moisture, swelling starch granules to improve the crust's strength and texture later.

Achieving the Perfect Crispy Crust

• 🌾 The dredge is a blend of flour, potato starch, and cornstarch to achieve a balance of crunchy and crispy textures.
• ✨ EverCris, a modified starch, is added to slow water movement and trap moisture, resulting in an exceptionally crispy chicken crust.
• ⏱️ Proper dredge timing is crucial: about one to two minutes to ensure even coating without over-hydrating.

The Double-Fry Method

• 🌡️ The chicken is first fried at 325°F to cook the protein to the desired internal temperature (above 185°F for dark meat tenderness).
• ⏳ After a resting period to redistribute moisture, the chicken undergoes a second, shorter fry (about one minute) to make the crust shatteringly crisp.

Assembling the Sandwich

• 🌶️ Pecking House's signature chili oil, made with toasted chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar, salt, MSG, vinegar powder, and duck fat, is used to coat the hot chicken.
• 🍞 A brioche bun is toasted with mayonnaise for an even, golden crust, leveraging the Maillard reaction for enhanced sweetness and chewiness.
• 🥒 The sandwich is assembled with QPY mayonnaise, bread and butter pickles, and the chili oil-dipped chicken thigh, finished with a gentle smoosh.
• ✅ The final sandwich is praised for its structural integrity, crispy and juicy chicken, pillowy bun, and balanced flavors, hitting all the right notes for a satisfying experience.