KFC Cheetos Chicken Sandwich (Copycat)

Name: KFC Cheetos Chicken Sandwich (Copycat)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 boneless chicken breast fillets; 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk; 1 tsp hot sauce; 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; vegetable oil, for frying; 1 tbsp (14g) butter; 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk; 1/2 cup (50g) crushed Cheetos; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp paprika; pinch salt; 2 brioche burger buns, lightly toasted; 2 tbsp (30ml) mayonnaise; 1 cup (30g) crunchy Cheetos

The original: Cheetos Chicken Sandwich · KFC →

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About

Around 2019 American fast food went through a phase of putting one brand inside another, crisps, sweets and cereal turning up on burgers and in milkshakes, because a mashup gets press that an ordinary new sandwich does not. KFC’s entry was a fried chicken fillet with whole Cheetos in the bun and a cheese sauce flavoured with them, sold for a limited time.

This home version builds it in three parts. The chicken soaks in buttermilk with a little hot sauce, then is dredged heavily in seasoned flour and cornstarch and fried at 350°F until deep golden and 165°F inside. The sauce is crushed Cheetos melted into butter and milk with garlic and paprika, which is where the bright orange colour comes from. Whole Cheetos go on last, just before the bun closes, so they stay crunchy. Mayo on the bun keeps the sauce from soaking through.

Ingredients

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chicken

Chicken breast2 boneless chicken breast fillets
Buttermilk1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
Hot sauce1 tsp hot sauce
All-purpose flour1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
Cornstarch2 tbsp cornstarch
Paprika1 tsp paprika
Garlic powder1 tsp garlic powder
Onion powder1 tsp onion powder
Salt1 tsp salt
Black pepper1/2 tsp black pepper
Vegetable oilvegetable oil, for frying

cheetos sauce

Butter1 tbsp (14g) butter
Milk1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
Cheetos1/2 cup (50g) crushed Cheetos
Garlic powder1/4 tsp garlic powder
Paprika1/4 tsp paprika
Saltpinch salt

assembly

Brioche bun2 brioche burger buns, lightly toasted
Mayonnaise2 tbsp (30ml) mayonnaise
Cheetos1 cup (30g) crunchy Cheetos

Recipe

1
Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, mix the buttermilk with the hot sauce, add the chicken fillets and leave them for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
2
Prepare the coating. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Lift the chicken out of the buttermilk, let the excess drip off and press it firmly into the flour so the coating forms rough, craggy bits.
3
Fry the chicken. Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (175°C) and fry the fillets for about 5–6 minutes per side, until deep golden and 165°F (74°C) in the centre. Rest them on a wire rack so the crust stays crisp.
4
Make the Cheetos sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, pour in the milk and warm it through. Stir in the crushed Cheetos, garlic powder, paprika and a pinch of salt, and keep stirring until the Cheetos break down and the sauce turns thick, smooth and bright orange.
5
Toast the brioche buns lightly, cut side down, in a dry skillet.
6
Assemble from the bottom up: bottom bun spread with mayonnaise, the fried chicken, a generous spoonful of Cheetos sauce, a handful of whole crunchy Cheetos, then the top bun. Add the whole Cheetos last so they stay crisp, and serve straight away.