Many people prefer the chicken filling of the traditional Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich, which is known as Chicken Banh Mi. Enjoy the classic Banh Mi flavors with this chicken version: pate, mayo, fresh herbs, and pickled veggies. Gone are the days of pink meat pieces! Wonderfully simple.
The Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich that combines French bread with Asian flavors and pork. Originally created during the French occupation of Vietnam, this dish gets its name from the French-imported baguettes that the Vietnamese filled with their own meats and herbs. I can only imagine how the French would have coped without crusty bread! There was a birth of the now-famous Banh Mi.
Many other variations are available in Vietnam and beyond these days, while the traditional mystery meat pork cold cuts is still a favorite among locals. A few examples are grilled steak, chicken, meatballs, eggs, sausage, BBQ pork, fish, and eggs.
Those Sydneysiders who still have their doubts about the pink cold-cut slices are going to love this shredded chicken variation that I’m going to share with you today.
A word of advice: stuff it full. When compressed, it appears like the picture up there. It was already rather full when I reached for it. ⬇️ Emphasize the importance of fillings!
The chicken banh mi’s secret ingredients
Banh Mi, like any sandwich, is only as good as its components. On their own, these ingredients don’t do anything. For those unfamiliar with Banh Mi, the combination may seem strange. However, after just one mouthful, you will be hooked on Banh Mi!
Instead of using a pricey artisan bread like sourdough, which is excessively chewy, use a regular crusty white baguette. Perfectly flaky crusts and fluffy, soft inside are hallmarks of the finest baguettes used by Vietnam’s most famous banh mi sellers.
To get the desired level of crustiness from your baguette, just toast it in the oven for a few minutes. (This is something I do because, you know, a Banh Mi isn’t complete without a crispy crust!)
For the sake of convenience, I merely use a store-bought roast chicken while making chicken banh mi. A homemade version is also an option. Try using a basic brined roast chicken, which will already have seasoning in the meat, or poach chicken breast and add a little more Maggi Seasoning.
Depending on the size of the baguette, you’ll need to adjust the quantity of chicken accordingly. Being charitable is entirely up to you. I’m somewhat of a giver!
Chicken Banh Mi with grilled marinated chicken is another option, as is chicken with grilled lemongrass. If that’s your preference, you may substitute the shredded chicken with chicken pieces made from this Lemongrass chicken dish. Do not add the Maggi seasoning; it is unnecessary.
Two to three green onions, each around the length of a bread roll, are required for one Banh Mi.
For each Banh Mi, you’ll need 2 thin slices of cucumber, sliced lengthwise. You should just need one cucumber.
Chilies, fresh from Thailand or birds-eye chilies, both of which are popular in Australia. Anything flamboyant and red. That’s just how a fantastic Banh Mi is made!
The crunch of pickled daikon and carrot is one of the specialties of Banh Mi. Wow, it’s wonderful! Avoid skipping this at all costs. Carrots are a good substitute for daikon (white radish) if you can’t locate any.
Banh mi often calls for two types of pickled vegetables: carrots and daikon, also known as white radish. You can bite into these tiny batons and get a wonderful crunch (although a pickled-softened crunch!).
Avoid the temptation to use a box grater to quickly chop the veggies. The impatient chef in me couldn’t help but give it a go, but alas, it fell short. A large vinegary mound of what looks like coleslaw. The crunch was much missed by me.
The vinegar that the pickled veggies are marinated in is an Asian vinegar called rice wine vinegar. Try using apple cider vinegar instead.
For pickling, you’ll need salt and sugar. The pickled veggies have a pleasant blend of sweet and salty flavors.
You might think of Maggi Seasoning as a more flavorful version of soy sauce. Absolutely not! 🙂
The majority of banh mi restaurants utilize this sauce directly from the bottle, however some do their own secret sauce recipe. In Australia, you may get it in the sauce or Asian section of big supermarket shops.
You may use any kind of pate here; chicken pate is just fitting. Feel free to treat yourself to some pricey pate if you so choose, but there’s really no need. Thanks to all the additional ingredients in this sandwich, no one will be able to tell the difference between a cheap pate and a high-quality one!
Please specify whether you would like Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise or whole egg mayonnaise. Other varieties of mayonnaise are either too sweet or too vinegary for my taste.
Chicken banh mi recipe
Depending on the sequence in which you layer ingredients, you can make any kind of Banh Mi. The base is rich and creamy, the top is meaty, and the dish is completed with fresh.
Methods for preparing banh mi chicken
Half the baguette, but don’t slice it in half across.
Spread butter on top of the baguette to seal it.
Mayonnaise and pate—Top the baguette with mayonnaise and pate. In Vietnam, the best banh mi restaurants are known for their huge pate portions, so don’t scrimp on that!
Chicken and sauce — Pile over the shredded chicken and then pour over the secret Banh Mi sauce, Maggi Seasoning!
To load with vegetables and herbs, put two cucumber slices on top of the pickled carrot and daikon. Layer two or three green onion stems and a few sprigs of coriander on top.
Last but not least, add as much fresh chilli as you can stand, and eat!
Use a lot of chili! If you want your Banh Mi to have the distinctive little bursts of fresh chilli hidden within the crispiness of pickled veggies, then you can’t be shy with the chilli. Attempt it in reverse, really. Put your fear aside and go all out. If you feel overwhelmed, just remove them.
The banh mi chicken
So that’s the rundown. This chicken Banh Mi is famed for its unique flavors that you won’t find in any Western sandwich. The spread of rich, creamy pate and mayonnaise is a perfect complement to the fresh herbs and pickled veggies. You may use it with a variety of meats, but if you want to keep things simple, like I do, you can use store-bought roast chicken.
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