Here’s how to make Rashad Jiles’ award-winning “The Fried Thai” chicken sandwich

Houston – Rashad Jiles’ isn’t from the South but his fried chicken sandwich is a winner.

The Minnesota native moved to Houston in 2020. His love for food stems from his time as a flight attendant. He’d visit new places, eat their cuisines, and take in the culture -- but during COVID-19 his international adventures were put on pause. That didn’t stop him, he decided to make the foods himself, more than 40 recipes he learned during his travels are in his new cookbook “Rashad Tastes the World: Using your Palate as a Passport”

As a content creator, Jiles has gained quite a following on Instagram with his interactive food demonstrations and infectious energy, He recently came across the Louisiana Fried Chicken Sandwich Challenge and decided to enter. The company set out to find the best homemade fried chicken sandwich using their products. Houston was one of six stops on their national tour. On July 23 he competed against other local home chefs with his Thai-inspired fried chicken sandwich dubbed “The Fried Thai.” Jiles uses flavorful chicken thighs compared to the conventional chicken breast for the sandwich. The Thai influence comes out in the herb salad underneath a spicy cilantro mayo.

Jiles will soon head to New York City to compete against the other five winners in the finals. The winner will go home with a year supply of Louisiana Fish Fry products, a trip to football’s biggest night in February, and the gold skillet trophy. But first, he decided to walk us through how to recreate his sandwich at home using Louisiana Fish Fry At-Home Fried Chicken Sandwich Coating Mix.

“The Fried Thai” Chicken Sandwich

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken thighs
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 inch ginger, grated
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 Box Louisiana Fish Fry At Home Chicken Sandwich (divided)
• Sandwich buns of choice
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp mayo
• 1/2 cup cilantro (divided)
• 1/2 Thai chili
• 2 limes (juiced, divided)
• 1/4 cup basil, julienned
• 2 tbsp mint, julienned
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 clove garlic, grated

Directions:

1. Marinate Chicken: Mix chicken, garlic, ginger, mirin, salt, and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare Batter: Combine 1/2 cup Louisiana Fish Fry At Chicken Sandwich mix with water for a wet batter. Coat chicken in wet batter, then dredge in remaining dry mix. Let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Fry Chicken: Heat oil to 350°F. Fry chicken for 7-10 minutes until crispy and cooked through (about 170-175°F). Drain on paper towels.
4. Make Spicy Cilantro Mayo: Blend mayo, ¼ cup cilantro, Thai chili, and juice of 1 lime until smooth.
5. Prepare Herb Salad: Toss basil, ¼ cup cilantro, mint, fish sauce, juice of 1 lime, and grated garlic together.
6. Assemble Sandwich: Spread mayo on bread of choice, add fried chicken, top with herb salad. Serve immediately.

We had such a fun time in the kitchen with Jiles and co-host Sloan Rinaldo of Texas Q. Rashad and Sloan, please come back!