Fried Feta Chicken Sandwich

Feta-brined grilled chicken, crispy fried feta, herby green sauce, and olive tapenade make this Greek-inspired sandwich. You've got to try it!

1 hour cook

Serves 2

Spencer Lengsfield

Ingredients

Chicken:

500gchicken thighs

400mlfeta brine (2 tubs)

1/2 tspsmoked paprika

1/2 tspdried oregano

1 tspmaggi liquid seasoning (optional)

50mlolive oil

1 tbsp honey

1garlic clove, grated

1lemon, zest

Salt, to taste

Feta:

1 blockfeta cheese

2eggs, beaten

50gplain flour, seasoned

100gpanko

Neutral oil, for frying

Green sauce:

50gcoriander

50gflat leaf parsley

20gdill

1garlic clove

100mlolive oil

50mlcider vinegar (or to taste)

Salt and pepper

Sandwich:

3 slicesripe tomato

pickled pink onions

cucumber slices

olive tapenade

ciabatta, toasted

Did you know you could marinate chicken in feta brine? It works in the same way yoghurt does, tenderising the meat and keeping it moist.

Method

Start by marinating the chicken. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl, mix well, then cover and leave to sit for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, make the green sauce. Add all the herbs, garlic, and liquids to a blender and blend until super smooth. Set to the side.

Cook the chicken in a hot skillet, griddle pan, or barbecue. Once it reaches 73 C internal temperature, and it's nicely charred all over, remove from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes. Slice up.

Toast the ciabatta in the same chicken pan.

Pat dry the feta cheese and slice into cubes, then lightly coat in seasoned flour. Coat in egg, then panko, then egg again, and panko one more time. Repeat with remaining cubes.

Preheat the oil to 180 C. Carefully drop in the feta and fry until deep golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on a rack to drain.

Build the sandwich. Green sauce, then chicken, tomato, fried feta, a drizzle of honey, cucumber, pickled onion, then tapenade on the top slice. Enjoy!