Ivy League Sandwich - Cornell Chicken

In high school, I was introduced to this amazing chicken recipe by my (now ex) stepdad. It has sooooo much flavor, crispy skin, and a beautifully tender interior. It was “invented” in upstate NY and the marinade ingredients meld together in a magical way and give the skin next level crispiness. While when it's made traditionally it's unbelievable, I decided to mix things up a bit and use the recipe to make flavor packed chicken sandwiches. If you do the same, you won’t be sorry.

I’m also throwing in Ina’s potato salad recipe because A. it’s Ina, B. it’s Ina, and C. it tastes amazing (if you like non-blah potato salad).

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Ingredients:

Chicken:

1 egg

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups cider vinegar

1 tablespoon table salt

1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces [I used two bone-in, skin on chicken breasts here]

Sandwich Spread:

3-4 TB goat cheese

3 TB finely chopped roasted red pepper

1 large shallot, sliced thinly

Pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

For sandwich assembly:

Bacon - baked at 400F on a rack until crispy

Pretzel Buns

Arugula [I wish I had had some on the sandwich]

Potato Salad:

3 pounds small red potatoes

Kosher salt

1 cup good mayonnaise

¼ cup buttermilk, milk, or white wine

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

½ cup chopped fresh dill

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup medium-diced celery

½ cup small-diced red onion

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24 hours before serving, you’ll need to marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, whisk the egg white and yolk together with a balloon whisk or a hand mixer. Add the oil and whisk until it gets thick, homogenous, and a bright yellow, for about 2 minutes. Now whisk in the vinegar, salt, seasoning, and pepper.

Stab the chicken skin several times with a fork or knife so the marinade can get in and so fat can get out when cooking. This will help make the skin crispy. Marinate the chicken for 3 to 24 hours in zipper bags. Every hour or so, turn the meat a bit so all surfaces get well coated.

While that marinates, make the potato salad. Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot off the heat and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Leave the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but firm.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon and whole-grain mustards, dill, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

To grill the chicken, set up the grill for 2-zone indirect cooking. Turn on the burners on half of your grill. Place the chicken over the indirect (non-heated) zone and close the lid. Every 5-10 minutes baste, turn the chickens on both sides, and move the ones closer to the heat away and the ones away closer.

Cook the chicken about 30 to 45 minutes until the internal temperature of each part is 150F and stop basting. [I use the Meater thermometer] Then move them over the hot direct heat side of the grill, skin side down, and crisp the skin without burning it for 10-15 minutes. Flip and heat for about 5 minutes more. This step is important to finish cooking, crisp the skins, and make sure the meat is sterile since raw egg can contain salmonella. When the skin is crisp and the joint temp is at least 165F, take the meat off. For the dark meat stick the probe of a good instant read thermometer in the joint between the drumstick and thigh. [If using, you’ll want to bake the bacon at the same time]

While the chicken is cooking, make the spread. Add the shallots to a small frying pan with a glug of olive oil on medium-low heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add a pinch of sugar with some salt and pepper. Caramelize. Remove from the heat and chop finely. Add to the goat cheese and red peppers and smear together until cohesive. Salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, toast the buns on the grill, smear with spread, slice the chicken breast off the bone (make sure to eat or leave-on that crispy skin!) and plop on the bun. Top with bacon [and arugula].