This sandwich is a culinary masterpiece that combines the bold flavors of Korean, Thailand, Vietnamese, Mexican, and Japanese cuisine. The crispy, golden-brown fried chicken, marinated in a tangy gochujang sauce, is the star of the show. It’s complemented by a sweet and spicy chipotle citrus caramel sauce, adding a touch of heat and a burst of citrusy sweetness.

For a refreshing crunch, pickled vegetables and pomegranate seeds provide a delightful contrast of textures and flavors. The creamy roasted garlic gochujang aioli adds a rich and savory element to the sandwich. All of these components come together on a toasted bun or sandwich roll, creating a truly unforgettable dining experience.The sandwich is a delightfully messy explosion of flavor

I came up with this recipe for my older brother’s birthday dinner a few years back and it instantly became a favorite for my family. For each of my family members’ birthdays I tell them that I will cook them a meal and to let me know what they would like me to make for them. This year my brother gave me a typical (for my family) vague answer, and said “I dont know, something Asian.” I decided to take on the challenge and create a unique Asian-inspired dish that would surprise and delight him.

Inspired by a memory from a past job, I recalled a restaurant that served fried chicken wings tossed in a savory caramel sauce. Intrigued by the unconventional combination, I decided to put my own spin on it. I loved experimenting with fusion cuisine, and I thought the bold flavors of Mexican and Asian cuisine would complement each other perfectly.

To complete the sandwich, I incorporated pickled vegetables, a crunchy and tangy element that added texture and a burst of flavor. The creamy roasted garlic gochujang aioli provided a rich and savory base, bringing together all the components of the sandwich.

The result was a truly unique and delicious creation that exceeded my expectations. My brother was thrilled, and the dish quickly became a family favorite. This culinary adventure not only showcased my passion for cooking but also demonstrated the power of experimentation and the joy of creating memorable dining experiences.

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Fried Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwich

The sandwich is assembled with a toasted hamburger bun or sandwich roll, topped with fried chicken coated in a chipotle citrus caramel sauce then topped with pickled veggies and pomegranate seeds and roasted garlic gochujang aioli

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian Fusion, Japanese Fusion, Korean fusion, Thai Fusion, Vietnamese fusion

Keyword Aioli, Asian fusion, Bahn Mi, Fried Chicken, Fusion, Pickled Vegetables, Sandwich, Savory Citrus Caramel Sauce

Prep Time 4 hours hours

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Sandwiches

Author Chef Cameron

Ingredients

Fried Chicken

• 3 Each Chicken Breast Boneless, Skinless
• 1 Cup Potato Starch
• 1 Cup Cornstarch
• 1/2 Cup Sesame Seed Toasted
• Oil Peanut oil works best but if not the use Canola oil

Chicken Marinade

• 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Sake or Mirin
• 1 Tbsp Gochujang
• 2 Tsp Ginger Chopped
• 4 Cloves Garlic Chopped
• 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Grass Chopped

Savory chipotle citrus caramel sauce

• 2 Tbsp Chipotle pureed
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp Fish sauce
• 1/4 Cup Sake
• 1/4 Cup Orange juice
• 4 Tbsp Orange zest
• 1 Tbsp Lime juice
• 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 3 Tbsp Rice vinegar
• 1 Tsp Sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp Ginger Chopped
• 4 Clove Garlic Chopped
• 3 Tbsp Cornstarch

Pickled Vegetables and Pomegranate Seeds

• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Rice Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 1/2 Cup Carrots Peeled and shredded
• 1 1/2 Cup Daikon radish Peeled and shredded
• 3 Each Jalapeno Cut into small disks
• 1/2 Cup Pomegranate seeds

Roasted garlic gochujang aioli

• 1 Head Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Gochujang
• 1/4 Cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
• 2 Tbsp Orange sauce

For the sandwich

• 6 Hamburger buns or sandwich rolls
• Cilantro Chopped

Instructions

• Cut the chicken in half lengthwise.
• Mix together all of the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Then add the chicken and place in the fridge and marinade for up to 4 hours.
• While the chicken is marinating, go ahead and start the pickled vegetables. In a saucepan add the water, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring mixture to a boil. Peel and shred the carrots and Daikon and chop the jalapeno. Place the vegetables and the pomegranate seeds in a bowl and then add the pickling liquid. Then place in the fridge uncovered for 2 hours. You can place each vegetable in its separate bowl and pickle them all separately
• Next up is the aioli. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Trim the top ¼ inch off the top of the garlic bulb. Place the garlic cut-side up on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Tip: I like to use a small baking dish or ramekin to help the garlic sit cut-side up. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast for 40 to 60 minutes or until the cloves are deeply golden brown and tender. Place in the fridge to cool down for 15 minutes. While the garlic is cooling down, mix the rest of the ingredients for the aioli. After the garlic is cooled down squeeze the garlic into the aioli and mix.
• Now for the caramel sauce. Stir the sugar together with water in a medium-sized pot.
• Caramelize the sugar over medium-high heat until it is a lovely deep amber, swirling occasionally. When the sugar has reached the right color, slowly drizzle in the soy sauce. Be careful, it will sputter. Add in the orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, lime juice, fish sauce, chipotle puree, ginger, garlic, honey, vinegar, and sesame oil, and bring back to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the caramel. Meanwhile, in a small cup, stir 3 tbsp cornstarch together with 1 tbsp water to form a liquid the texture of heavy cream (called a slurry). If you need to, you can add a few more drops of water to loosen it a bit. When the sauce is at a simmer, drizzle in the slurry while whisking the sauce. Simmer the sauce for a minute or two until it becomes glossy and thick. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Now that everything else is done now its time to fry the chicken. Heat up the oil in a pan or deep fryer, enough to be able to submerge the chicken. Bring it up to 350°F. In a bowl mix the potato starch and the corn starch. Put the chicken one at a time in the breading mixture and completely cover the chicken. After it is breaded, put in the hot oil to fry. Fry the chicken for about 6-7 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. When the chicken is done put in a bowl and throw some of the citrus caramel sauce into it and toss to coat. Then throw some toasted sesame seeds.
• To put the sandwich together first toast the bun or sandwich roll. Spread the aioli on both sides of the bread. Then place the chicken and top with the pickled vegetables and pomegranate seeds and chopped cilantro. You can add even more of the aioli on top of the pickled vegetables if you want more.