Shake Shack Has a New Cookbook — and This Chicken Bites Recipe Will Have You *Running* to Buy It
Shake Shack is one of everyone’s favorite establishments, and it’s pretty well-known that they serve a heckuva lot more than a great milkshake. If you’re not in the mood to make hangover-curing recipes at home but you want some delicious greasy food and fries, Shake Shack is where it’s at. But guess what? For those times when you are in the mood to cook, you can now whip something Shack-worthy up in your own kitchen at any time of day. Add Shake Shack’s new cookbook to your roster of copycat recipes, and enjoy a sneak peek with this absolutely BOMB chicken bites creation.
Chicken Bites
These crispy bite-size pieces are the obvious extension of the Chick’n Shack. We like to make them for a big party (and for the kids!) served with Buttermilk Herb Mayo. They’re great with our Salt & Pepper Honey Sauce (page 173), too.
- 2 thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
- Buttermilk Marinade (recipe follows)
- Seasoned Flour (recipe follows)
- Canola oil for deep-frying
- 1 cup Buttermilk Herb Mayo, optional
1. Cut the chicken into thirds lengthwise, then crosswise into pieces about 2 inches wide.
2. Follow the directions in the Chick’n Shack recipe (directions below) for marinating, dredging, and deep-frying the chicken pieces.
3. Drain the deep-fried chicken pieces on paper towels. Serve with the mayonnaise.
Buttermilk Marinade:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 small shallot, peeled and sliced
- ½ small jalapeño, halved
- ½ small clove garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Seasoned Flour:
- 3½ cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
Chick’n Shack Directions:
1. For the Buttermilk Marinade: Mix together all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. For the Seasoned Flour: Whisk together all ingredients in a deep wide dish. Set aside.
3. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl of buttermilk marinade. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
4. Lift one piece of chicken at a time from the marinade, and dredge really well in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess flour.
5. Return the chicken to the marinade, fully submerge one more time, then dredge again in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour and set aside. Discard the marinade.
6. Pour the oil into a heavy, deep pot to a depth of 4 inches. Heat over medium heat until the temperature of the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer.
7. Use a wire spider or slotted spoon to carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil. Fry 2 pieces of chicken at a time until the crust is deep golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain.
Buttermilk Herb Mayo
MAKES 2 CUPS
- 2 cups Hellman’s mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives
- ¼ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
Be sure to pick up your copy of Shake Shack ($16) for even more delicious recipe ideas.
Follow us on Pinterest for more meal ideas and copycat recipes!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
Reprinted from Shake Shack. Copyright © 2017 by Shake Shack Enterprises, LLC. Principal photographs copyright © 2017 by Christopher Hirsheimer. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.
