Crispy Spice Bag Chicken Buns | Outside Ireland, most people won’t have a clue what a spice bag is, but those in the know will be well aware that this Chinese-Irish takeaway staple is fast becoming a favourite. Crisp, fried chicken tossed in a sweet spice mixture with chips and fried onions and peppers, all served in a paper bag and devoured - hook it to my veins!
Serves: 4
Time: 45 mins
8 skinless chicken thigh fillets
400ml buttermilk
100g corn flakes
4 tbsp plain flour
Pinch ground white pepper
Sunflower oil spray
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
6 spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally
1-2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or use rice wine)
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 brioche buns, lightly toasted
1 gem or 1⁄2 iceberg lettuce, shredded
For the spice mix:
1 tbsp Chinese five-spice
1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chilli powder
Pinch ground cardamom
Pinch cinnamon
2 tsp salt
2 tsp granulated sugar
1⁄2 tsp white pepper
For the fish sauce mayo:
4-5 tbsp mayonnaise
Good handful of coriander, finely chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
Preheat the air fryer to 180°C/350°F.
Mix together all the ingredients for the spice mix and set aside.
In a bowl, cover the chicken thighs with buttermilk.
Add the cornflakes to a zip locked bag and beat the bag using a rolling pin until finely crushed and add about half the spice mix, all of the flour and a pinch of white pepper. Shake the bag to fully mix before transferring to a shallow bowl. Save the remaining spice mix for steps 9 & 10.
Lift each chicken thigh piece with tongs, allowing any excess buttermilk to drip off and toss in the cornflake/spice mix, leaving each aside on a plate once coated.
Line the air fryer with a sheet of parchment paper and add in the chicken thigh pieces, spraying all over with oil.
Cook for about 20 minutes until cooked through (alternatively you can deep fry them in batches in hot oil for 5-8 mins).
To make the fish sauce mayonnaise, combine the mayo, fish sauce and chopped coriander in a small bowl.
Place a large frying pan over a high heat and once smoking, add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the red chilli and spring onions and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes until the chilli and spring onion are tender and translucent, before pouring in the Shaoxing wine and sesame oil. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of the remaining spice mix.
To assemble, slather the aioli on toasted brioche buns and add some shredded lettuce. Place a piece of chicken on top, along with a spoon of the fried veggies and sprinkle a teaspoon of the spice mix on top and top with bun lids.