Sweet Tea Oven-Fried Chicken Sliders w/ Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Slaw + Crispy Onions.
Sliders
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into slider size pieces
3/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sweet tea
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 cups corn flake crumbs
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/4 -1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
a good pinch of pepper
8-12 cornbread brioche slider buns or your favorite slider buns, buttered + toasted
Crispy Onions
2 large white onions, halved and then sliced very thin
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
pinch of pepper + cayenne pepper
oil, for frying
Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Slaw
2 cups shredded green cabbage or cabbage slaw
2 ears grilled corn , kernels removed from the cob
2 jalapeños, seeded + chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, diced
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
pinch of salt and pepper
Chipotle Honey
1/3 cup honey, warmed
1 chipotle chili, minced
Instructions
Sliders
- Add the chicken to a large bowl and pour the buttermilk, sweet tea and salt over the chicken. Toss well, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat, foil or parchment paper and spray or brush with olive oil.
- Add the corn flakes crumbs, flour, seasoned salt, cayenne and pepper to medium sized bowl. Stir to combine.
- Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and dredge through the crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken has been used. Make sure not to crowd your pan, if necessary use two baking sheets. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray or a mist of olive oil. Drizzle the 4 tablespoons melted butter over the chicken.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 degrees F. Bake for 10-12 minutes more, then flip the chicken over and gently spray with olive oil. Place back in oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clean. Serve with the slaw, crispy onions and chipotle cheddar (all below).
Crispy Onions
- Add the sliced onions to a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over top. Use your hand to submerge the onions in the buttermilk. Allow the onions to sit in the buttermilk 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile add the flour, salt, pinch of cayenne and pinch of pepper to a bowl and give it a good toss.
- When ready to fry the onions heat a large pot of oil until it reaches 375 degrees F. or until a pinch of flour sizzles when sprinkled over the pot.
- Remove a handful of onions from the buttermilk and place them into the flour mixture. Coat the onions in the flour mixture, and then tap them on the inside of the bowl to shake off the excess.
- Carefully drop the onions into the hot oil. With a spoon, fiddle with them a bit just to break them up. Watch the onions closely as they cook quick! After about 1 or 2 minutes, they should be golden brown, remove from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining onion slices. Onions are best served right away, but can be reheated in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes, watching them closely and making sure they do not burn.
Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Slaw
- In a bowl toss together the grilled corn, shredded cabbage, jalapeños, chopped parsley or cilantro, lemon juice, rice vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Just before serving stir in the cheddar cheese.
Chipotle Honey
- In a bowl mix together honey and chipotle pepper. Serve drizzled over the chicken.
To assemble
- Place a piece of warm chicken on the bottom of each slider bun, drizzle with the chipotle honey. Top with slaw and crispy onions. SERVE!
Tieghan Says:
*Everything for the sliders can be prepped in advance. You can bake the chicken right before serving or re-heat the already baked chicken in a 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. If possible, try to serve everything as fresh as possible.
*Crispy Onions adapted from Food Network .