Three Takes On: Fried chicken

Crispy Chili Chicken "Drummies"

Union Public Schools, Salt Food Group Consulting LLC (Tulsa, Okla.)

“What makes this dish unique is that we bake the chicken instead of frying it in oil,” explains Eli Huff, owner and executive chef at Salt Food Group, the company developing menus for Union Public Schools. A take on traditional restaurant-style chicken wings, these drummies are served within the sports-themed concept at the Collegiate Academy high school as part of a reimbursable meal, as well as à la carte. “It has been very popular in all of the schools we work with,” Huff says. “We put this item on both regular lunch menus we design and à la carte menus for a quick grab-and-go snack served with fries.”

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Panko-Crusted Chicken

Top Tier Catering, Texas Tech University (Lubbock)

“Every year here at Top Tier Catering by Texas Tech University we try to unveil a new menu item,” explains Sous Chef Marc Silvas. “Our goal is to develop an item that could be our signature dish for the year. Since its inception, [Panko-crusted Chicken] has been quite a popular menu item. The sauce adds an unexpected kick of flavor—lemony and buttery with just a hint of heat on the back of your palate. And panko is such a versatile product; we had been playing around with it in the kitchen for quite some time. It gives a unique appearance, flavor and mouthfeel to the finished product and can also hold very well for service.” 

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Chipotle Fried Chicken with Cilantro Lime BBQ Sauce

Verizon Innovation Center, Café Services (Waltham, Mass.)

Cilantro Lime BBQ Sauce rounds out the kick a chipotle brine gives this spin on traditional fried chicken. When plated alongside Yukon gold potatoes and fresh red and gold beets, “people really like [this dish] a lot,” says Stephen Rice, food service director for Café Services at the Verizon Innovation Center. “The trends seem to be that people are into hot sauces and healthier sides. So they still get the best of both worlds: that traditional fried chicken with a little twist and nice steamed beans, potatoes and fresh boiled beets.”

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