Crispy Chicken with Champagne Vinegar Aioli
Unlike Champagne wines, Champagne vinegars can be produced anywhere. Most have the clarity, crispness and almost effervescent quality you’d expect from a glass of bubbly. Examples made in the Orléans style—slowly fermented in barrels—have a more robust character. Champagne vinegar’s pungency is nicely offset by the grassiness of olive oil, so the pairing is ideal for vinaigrettes or in marinades for crisp, lightly cooked veggies.
Our favorite bottles:
Martin Pouret Champagne Vinegar, $17 at amazon.com.
Kolossos Mild Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $20 at shop.kolossos.co.
Use them in: Crispy chicken with champagne vinegar aioli
Ingredients
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 large egg yolk, plus 1 large egg
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Pinch of cayenne
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
Kosher salt
Pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups panko
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, patted dry
Crispy sweet potato fries, for serving
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, egg yolk, garlic and cayenne. Slowly whisk in the 2/3 cup of olive oil until incorporated. Season with salt.
Spread the flour in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the whole egg with 1/3 cup of the aioli. In a third shallow bowl, spread the panko. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko, pressing to help it adhere.
Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil until shimmering. In batches, fry the chicken over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the rack and season with salt. Serve with the aioli and fries.
Yields: 4
cook Time: 30 minutes
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