Masterchef 2016 runner-up Matt Sinclair has created what could be the world’s tastiest chicken parma.
The ultimate parma is an upgrade on the iconic Aussie pub classic, featuring premium ingredients including buttermilk fried chicken, streaky bacon, Monterey Jack cheese and chipotle peppers.
Ingredients
3 chicken thighs, halved
125ml buttermilk
1 cups plain flour
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp dried oregano
CHIPOTLE SAUCE – Makes 1 litre
30 ml olive oil
350 gm brown onion, finely sliced
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds, roughly ground
300 gm Always Fresh whole Piquillo peppers
200 gm tinned diced tomato
200 gm chipotle in adobado
125 ml sherry vinegar
125 gm brown sugar
Salt
plus…
6 Slider buns
6 Streaky bacon strips
6 Slices Monterey Jack cheese
6 Little Gem lettuce leaves
Method
In a large saucepan, heat oil over a medium-high heat and sauté onions until soft and translucent. Season with a tablespoon of salt. Add cumin seeds and stir well to combine.
Add peppers, tomato, chipotle, vinegar and sugar and mix until sugar has dissolved completely.
Using a stick blender, blitz until it resembles a Napoli sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook sauce until it becomes a rich red colour and is thick enough to coat a spoon (approximately 20 mins). Adjust seasoning if required.
Heat deep fryer to 180C.
In a shallow tray, add flour, paprika, ground coriander and oregano and mix well to combine.
In a separate shallow tray, pour in buttermilk.
Dip chicken thighs in buttermilk and transfer to flour. Coat evenly in flour and shake off excess. Repeat with the rest of chicken. Repeat coating process one more time.
Fry chicken in batches of 6, for 5-6 minutes until cooked through or golden brown. Season generously with salt.
Grill bacon until soft.
Cut slider buns in half. Spoon 1 Tbsp. sauce on the base. Stack chicken, bacon and cheese on slider bun. Place cheese on top half of stack and place in the oven at 220C, until melted.
Assemble with lettuce and slider top.
Further tips:
- The sauce reduction time is approx. 20 minutes.
- Fry chicken in batches of six, for 5-6 minutes until cooked through or golden brown
- Once the chicken, bacon and cheese are stacked, place into the oven at 220C until cheese has melted, approx. 5-6 minutes.
- Havarti or gouda cheeses are the best substitutes for Monterey Jack
Melburnians can sample the MasterChef runner-up’s parma slider at the Parmavana food truck, presented by Latitude Financial Services. The free food truck will pop-up on Wednesday, January 11, at Federation Square noon-3pm and 5-8pm; and Thursday, January 12, at Southbank noon-3pm and Southern Cross Station 5-8pm.
