Spiced Fried Chicken with Malt Gravy
Ben created this dish for MasterChef UK Professionals Season 18. A Bristol-based head chef who worked his way up from commis without formal culinary college training, Ben helped earn three AA Rosettes at The Methuen Arms in Corsham. For the Week 9 Innovations Test with whole chicken as the key ingredient, Ben set out to create a refined take on fried chicken - elevating comfort food into something worthy of a professional kitchen. His spice blend drew from a global pantry: cumin, espelette pepper, ground ginger, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Monica called it 'possibly the fanciest fried chicken I've seen served up,' praising the crunchy coating and chicken fat mash as 'delicious.' Marcus found the carrots 'sweet, beautifully cooked' but felt Ben could have been 'braver' with the spices and suggested 'something really interesting with a barbecue-type, spicy sauce going on the side.' Monica found the chicken hearts 'quite undercooked.' This recipe amplifies the spice blend, adds a spice…
- Time: 135 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- MARINATE THE CHICKEN
- If using bone-in thighs with skin, carefully remove the skin from 4 of the thigh
- RENDER CHICKEN FAT AND PREPARE CRISPY SKIN
- Preheat the oven to 375°F . Lay the reserved chicken skins flat on a parchment-l
- START THE MALT GRAVY
- In a medium saucepan, heat a splash of oil over medium-high heat. Add any chicke
- COOK THE POTATOES
- Place the quartered potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold salted water,
- PREPARE THE SPICED FLOUR
- In a large shallow dish or rimmed baking sheet, whisk together the flour, cornst
- BREAD AND FRY THE CHICKEN
- Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with oil to a depth of about 3 inches . Heat to
- MAKE THE CHICKEN FAT MASH
- Pass the hot drained potatoes through a ricer back into the warm saucepan . Over
- GLAZE THE CARROTS
- If using larger heritage carrots, halve them lengthwise and cut into 3-inch piec
- SEAR THE CHICKEN HEARTS
- Pat the trimmed, halved chicken hearts completely dry with paper towels. Season
- MAKE THE SPICED BBQ DIPPING SAUCE
- In a small saucepan, combine the ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked pap
- FINISH THE GRAVY
- Bring the strained gravy back to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the cold butter for g
- PLATE AND SERVE
- Place a generous mound of chicken fat mash slightly off-centre on each warm plat