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Tom Yum Fried Chicken

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If you’re a fan of Thai flavours, you’re going to love this Tom Yum Fried Chicken. Chicken is brined overnight in a fragrant tom yum brine before being coated in a light, craggy crust and fried until perfectly crisp. The optional tom yum honey takes it to the next level, adding a glossy sweet-savoury finish that’s balanced with plenty of fresh lime.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 to 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the chicken:

  • 4 tbsp good-quality tom yum paste (I use Mae Ploy)
  • 4 tsp salt
  • 1 litre water
  • 1kg chicken thighs and/or drumsticks

For the coating:

  • 450g 00 flour (or plain flour, see note)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying

For the tom yum honey (optional):

  • 100g runny honey
  • 2 tsp good-quality tom yum paste
  • zest of 2 limes (save the juice or lime wedges for serving)

Instructions

  1. Place the tom yum paste, salt and water in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 24 hours. Any longer and the chicken will over-brine, becoming too salty and losing its texture.
  2. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before frying to take the chill off.
  3. Half-fill a large, deep saucepan or Dutch oven with vegetable oil and heat over a medium-high heat to 160°C. Set a wire rack over a large baking tray – this is where the cooked chicken will rest, allowing air to circulate and keeping it crisp.
  4. Meanwhile, combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Lift the chicken from the brine and transfer it to a tray or plate, reserving the brine. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved brine into the flour mixture and toss gently with your fingertips until small clumps start to form. These little clumps of hydrated flour are the secret to an extra-crispy, craggy coating.
  6. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, coat it in the flour mixture using your “dry” hand. Shape your hand like a claw and press the flour firmly onto the chicken so it adheres and forms a textured surface. Shake off any excess, then use your “wet” hand to dip the chicken into the reserved brine, letting any excess drip off. Return it to the flour mixture and repeat the claw motion to coat thoroughly. Take your time here – pressing the flour firmly onto the chicken is what creates those light, craggy edges that fry up beautifully. Transfer the coated chicken to a tray and repeat with the remaining pieces.
  7. Once the oil reaches 160°C, carefully lower a few pieces of chicken into the oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, turning halfway through, or until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to the wire rack while you fry the remaining chicken in batches. If needed, keep the cooked chicken warm in a 120°C oven.
  8. Meanwhile, make the tom yum honey. Combine the honey, tom yum paste and lime zest in a small saucepan set over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until smooth, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes.
  9. Drizzle the tom yum honey over the fried chicken just before serving with plenty of lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Notes

  • 00 flour creates a lighter, crispier coating than plain flour thanks to its finer grind. Plain flour will still give you delicious fried chicken, but the coating will be slightly heavier.
  • Brining time matters. Less than 8 hours won’t season the chicken deeply enough, while more than 24 hours can make it overly salty and soften its texture.
  • To reheat, place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking tray and bake at 180°C for 10 to 12 minutes, or until piping hot and crisp again.

Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/tom-yum-fried-chicken/

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