For Chicken Sandwiches Packed With Flavor, Give Them This Asian-Inspired Makeover

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While classic chicken sandwiches typically call for a basic mix of mayonnaise, pickles, and lettuce on a toasted bun, there's a lot more you can do to enhance this handheld. If you want to give your next chicken sandwich an Asian-inspired makeover, it's as simple as changing up your condiments, toppings, and chicken breading or coating. Take a cue from Tasting Table's satay-inspired peanut-crusted chicken sandwich recipe and introduce flavors inspired by Thai cuisine with homemade peanut sauce, quick pickled vegetables, and a peanut crust for your chicken patty.

Start by quick pickling julienned carrots in a mix of vinegar, sugar, salt, and water. Next, prepare a luscious peanut sauce by simmering peanut butter, coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes in a pot on the stovetop. These will be the main accents to your peanut-crusted chicken patty, which will provide a delicious Asian-inspired flavor profile and a crave-worthy texture for your sandwiches.

Fry your chicken in a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and crushed peanuts for the optimal crunchy coating and then load up your sandwiches with the peanut sauce and pickled carrots on your choice of bun. Include ingredients inspired by Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches with the addition of ribboned cucumber and sprigs of cilantro for a fusion of Asian-inspired flavors.

A recipe styled after Thai cuisine is an excellent start for giving your next round of chicken sandwiches an Asian-inspired makeover. You don't have to limit yourself, though. Among the wide variety of Asian chicken recipes to choose from, there's plenty of inspiration to go around. For example, try making a batch of chicken sandwiches inspired by the flavors of Filipino chicken adobo.

Start by marinating your chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar before dredging and frying it. Use any leftover adobo marinade and reduce this in a pan alongside bay leaves, black peppercorns, and chicken stock to dress your chicken sandwiches. Serve these on pandesal rolls to tie all the tastes and textures together.

For a more basic Asian-style upgrade, swap out standard mayonnaise for Japanese-style Kewpie Mayonnaise to dress your chicken sandwiches. Prepare an Asian-inspired coleslaw to top off the sandwiches in lieu of the usual lettuce and pickles. Don't shy away from experimenting with new-to-you ingredients. Simply taste any sauces or other additions you're working with before building your sandwiches to know how much or how little you want to use of certain ingredients. An open mind and your own culinary creativity will elevate your chicken sandwiches to delightful new heights.