The Popular Condiment We're Adding To Every Fried Chicken Sandwich
A fried chicken sandwich is among the simplest yet most satisfying meals you can make. The delicious crunch of the breading gets softened by the warm buns while any leaking juicy goodness after each bite gets absorbed so you don't miss a drop.
While a basic fried chicken sandwich is still a divine treat, better sandwiches incorporate all manner of condiments and toppings for a more complex experience. One of the best you can use is chili crisp, essentially a hot, spicy chili oil full of edible, crunchy, fried bits such as onion and peppercorns.
Adding it to a fried chicken sandwich accomplishes several things. Most importantly, it adds significant flavor and not-too-spicy heat that pairs perfectly with the seasonings already in most fried chicken recipes, such as paprika and cayenne. Then, the extra crunch from the titular crispy bits helps mitigate the softening effect of the bun. Finally, it doesn't hurt to see the red oil oozing deliciously out of the sandwich after each bite.
Other fried chicken sandwich fixings that go well with chili crisp
While a fried chicken sandwich with only chili crisp as accouterment is perfectly delicious, adding just a few things more doesn't hurt either. A wonderfully balancing addition, for example, is mayonnaise. It helps cool things down if you're not the biggest fan of heat and adds some of its own tang to the dish. If you're presenting the sandwich for effect, you can loosely mix the mayo and chili crisp together first so the mayo has streaks of red. Additionally, if you want a richer, more umami-laden meal, use Kewpie instead of regular mayo.
One significant flavor profile fried chicken sandwiches lack is sweetness, but you don't want too much — just a hint. A bit of honey is perfect for this, as is hot honey if you want to really push the spiciness. Fried chicken sandwiches also lack herbal notes, even though some dried herbs are usually in the spice mix. Pesto is excellent for adding this, though since it also uses plenty of oil, make sure you carefully balance the amount of chili crisp and pesto you use.