Serves 2.

Ingredients

• 2 x 180g free range chicken breast, skin off
• 3 cups organic plain flour
• 2 brioche buns
• 2 slices cheddar cheese
• 10 slices of your favorite crinkle cut pickles

Chicken Brine:

• 600ml hot water
• 30g sea salt
• 20g brown sugar

Method

• Whisk until salt and sugar are dissolved then refrigerate until cold.

Yummy Oil:

• 500g unsalted butter, melted
• 10g sweet paprika
• 10g smoked paprika
• 20g brown sugar
• 10g sea salt

Method

• Whisk until dry ingredients dissolve and keep warm until ready to use.

Comeback Sauce:

• 200g canola oil
• 20g Aquafaba (chickpea water)
• 150g ketchup
• 150g American mustard

Method

1. Using a stick blender combine aquafaba, ketchup and American mustard for 1 minute. While blending, drizzle in canola oil until mixture is emulsified.

Vinegar Slaw

• 200g Apple Cider Vinegar
• 200g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ green cabbage, sliced thinly
• ¼ red cabbage, sliced thinly
• ½ red onion, sliced thinly

Method

• Using a stick blender combine all ingredients except for the cabbage and red onion for 1 minute. In a bowl dress the cabbage and onion well with dressing and set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

Spicy Seasoning:

• 3 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp black pepper

Method

In a bowl whisk the ingredients until very well combined and set aside in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid to prevent clumping.

Main method:

Place the chicken in the brine and refrigerate for 8 – 12 hours covered in a container secured with a lid.

Add 2 tbsp of the brine liquid into flour and rub together with your hands until well incorporated. This will create the “craggy bits”.

Prepare the chicken by dunking it in the flour, then dip it in the brine liquid, then back into the flour. Toss and press the chicken several times in the flour to create a “flour glue” coating. Cover the chicken with the remaining flour and set the chicken aside in the fridge for 1 – 2 hours for the flour glue to set properly.

Cook the chicken in a small deep fryer (or deep pot) filled with canola oil (or your favourite rendered fat) for 8 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Avoid adding more than 2-3 pieces in each batch.

While the chicken is frying, halve and toast the brioche bun, then liberally spoon the comeback sauce on both sides. Place 5 pickles on the top half of each bun.

Once the chicken is fried, use tongs to dunk each piece in the yummy oil (bathing in it for a good 3 seconds).

Evenly coat both sides of the chicken with the spicy seasoning. Place a slice of cheese on top of the chicken and transfer to the bottom half of the bun.

Add a good helping of vinegar slaw on top of the cheese, place the second half of the bun on top, and eat immediately.

Best served with your favourite cold beer or chilled wine.

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Meet Drasko Jankovic

What led you into the culinary world?

In my early teens I developed an obsession with quality fresh produce, and specifically locally grown organic or chemical-free produce direct from farmers. Back then cooking didn’t have anywhere near the exposure it has these days so all my mates thought it was all a bit weird. I decided to follow my other passion of journalism for a few years, and then at the ripe old age of 26 I finally honoured the gut feeling I always had and went all in by starting as an Apprentice Chef – and the rest as they say is history.

What appeals to you about this dish?

The Sando is the reason I fell in love with Nashville hot chicken, and I get asked often by customers to reveal all my secrets, so it’s finally happening! I’m hoping it inspires a few people to impress their family and friends at home.

What are your favourite ingredients to incorporate into the food you cook?

It’s all about the spice baby! Without it, there is no hot in hot chicken. I’m very fortunate to have convinced (with a little bribing) Moore Veggies in Carnarvon to dry their ‘Super Hot’ chillies for us at Drasko’s Hot Chicken which we use in our spice mixes. Chilli powders are typically from overseas and/or on the shelf for years, so the vibrancy that these chillies give our spice mixes is a game changer, and it’s what sets us apart.

How often do you experiment with creating a new dish?

At least monthly. Running a restaurant is a very repetitive profession so spicing things up (literally) is a welcome reprieve. Unless of course I’m testing Super Hots, and then it’s pure torture.

What’s a go-to dish you would prepare for yourself?

After a long day at the restaurant my go-to is scrambled eggs on toast. Lovely local pasture raised organic eggs, cooked in ghee, and lathered on crispy Woodfired sourdough bread. And with lashings of wild fermented veggies on the side. The whole thing sprinkled with cayenne pepper because I just can’t help myself.

What are some of your favourite WA cafes/restaurants?

Oh jeez, too many to list! Well, I’m a regular at Chich Small Bar in Osborne Park. Nothing like you’ll find anywhere else in Perth, actually anywhere in WA. The owners are Macedonian and they’re paying homage to Balkan cuisine in the best possible way. Run don’t walk. It’s worth mentioning we should also be equally championing and supporting our ridiculously hard-working producers, so pay a visit to your local weekend farmers market and get amongst the produce that was still in the ground only a few hours earlier.