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Japan, Asia · Chicken Nanban

Chicken Nanban Sando

Thick, butter-toasted milk bread packed with sweet-sour glazed chicken nanban, egg tartare and cabbage: a Japanese sandwich with a show-stopping cross-section.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time35 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsWash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water right after touching raw chicken, and keep them away from other food. The chicken is cooked when the thickest part reaches 75 °C, the cut surface has no pink and the juices run clear.

Method

  1. Put the tartare eggs in a 14 cm pot, cover with water and bring to the boil over high heat, then turn down to medium heat and cook for until hard-boiled. Cool in cold water and peel.

    Add in this stepEggs (for the tartare) 1

    medium heat

  2. Chop the onion very finely, soak in water for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Mash the boiled eggs with a fork and mix with the onion and mayonnaise into an egg tartare; refrigerate.

    Add in this stepOnion 20 gMayonnaise 3 tbsp

  3. Bring the rice vinegar, sugar and soy sauce to the boil in a small pan on medium heat, stir in the starch mixed with the water and cook for , stirring, until thick and glossy enough to coat a spoon. A thick sauce keeps the bread from going soggy.

    Add in this stepRice vinegar 2 tbspSugar 1½ tbspSoy sauce 1½ tbspPotato starch ½ tspWater (for the starch slurry) 2 tsp

    medium heat

  4. Trim the fat and sinew from the chicken, cut into it and open it out to an even 1.5 cm, then shape it to roughly the size of the bread, one piece per sandwich. Pat dry, season with salt and pepper, dust thinly with flour, shake off the excess and dip in beaten egg.

    Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 260 gSalt ½ tspBlack pepper to tastePlain flour 2 tbspEggs (for the coating) 1

  5. Pour the oil into a 24 cm frying pan to a depth of 1.5 cm and heat on medium heat to 170 °C (a dry wooden chopstick gives off small bubbles straight away). Lay the chicken in skin side down, away from you, fry for , turn and fry for more. Fry no more than 2 pieces at a time, in batches if needed. Drain on a rack and make a small cut in the thickest part to check there is no pink. Never leave the pan while frying.

    Add in this stepVegetable oil for frying 400 ml

    medium heat

  6. Melt the butter in a dry frying pan and toast the bread on medium heat for per side until golden. In a small pan, toast 2 slices at a time.

    Add in this stepThick-sliced milk bread (2 cm) 4Butter 10 g

    medium heat

  7. Put cabbage on one slice of toast, add the chicken brushed on both sides with the sauce from step 3, spread the tartare thickly and close with a second slice. Wrap tightly in cling film and leave for 5 minutes so the filling settles, then cut in half through the film with a sharp knife to show off the cross-section.

    Add in this stepCabbage, finely shredded 60 g

Cook's tip

For a clean cut, warm the knife in hot water, wipe it, and use a sawing motion. Eat within 2 hours of making. If packing it for lunch, always add an ice pack.

Cooking it at camp

Make the tartare and sauce at home and keep them in the cooler; shallow-fry the chicken in a deep pan with 1 cm of oil, and toast the bread on the grill grate or in the same pan. Let used oil cool before disposing of it with an oil solidifier or newspaper.