Marry your love of chicken + beer

A burgeoning culinary artist, Chef Christopher Sinclair McCalla started making his way around the kitchen when he was 12 years old.

As someone who loves exploring different flavours and whipping up unique and tasty dishes, his Red Stripe Beer Spicy Fried Chicken recipe shows just that. Perfected with a rich sauce infused with the amber lager, its low-butterscotch flavour is a match made in heaven. “Once you drizzle that pineapple Red Stripe sauce over it (the chicken), you might as well just take the day off because this is meant to be enjoyed, not rushed. Imagine that first bite, where the crust cracks audibly and reveals that juicy, flavourful chicken. You’ll taste the fragrant herbs and enjoy a mouthful that is equal parts crispy and juicy,” Sinclair McCalla said of the recipe.

Red Stripe Spicy Fried Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 8 pieces bone-in chicken (4 drumsticks and 4 thighs)

• 2tbps salt, divided

• 3tbsps paprika

• 2tbsps garlic powder

• 1tbp ground ginger

• 1tbp freshly ground black pepper

• 3tbsps cayenne pepper

• 2tbsps dried parsley

• 2 tsps dried thyme

• 2tbsps dried basil

• 2tbsps dried oregano

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 4tbsps cornstarch

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 3 large eggs (whites only)

• 1/4 cup Red Stripe beer

• 2 quarts of vegetable oil for deep frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt over the chicken pieces. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight to dry out the skin (the longer, the better).

2. Combine the paprika, garlic powder, ginger, cayenne pepper, black pepper, oregano, thyme, basil, and parsley in a large bowl or a food processor, pulse to combine.

3. Coat the chicken all over with half of the seasoning mixture (about 1/2 cup).

4. Add the flour, cornstarch, and remaining 1 tablespoon salt to the remaining spice mixture in the bowl and whisk to combine; set aside. Place the buttermilk, egg whites, and Red Stripe beer in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

5. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dip in the flour, then the buttermilk mixture to completely coat, then place in the flour mixture. Shake the flour bowl as needed to coat the chicken completely, and then use your fingers to press the flour coating on to the chicken.

6. Place the coated chicken on the rack/dry surface and repeat dredging the remaining chicken. Set this aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and up to 30 minutes while you set up for frying and heating the oil.

7. Place the oil in a large pot, attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is 350° Fahrenheit, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, line a plate or baking sheet with paper towels or get a wire cooling rack.

8. Place 3 pieces of the chicken in the oil and fry, using tongs to rotate the pieces every 3 to 4 minutes and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain 325° Fahrenheit, until golden-brown with an internal temperature of 165°F (check by inserting a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken without touching bone), 12 to 15 minutes.

9. Transfer the chicken to the plate or wire rack. Make sure the oil comes back up to 350°F before frying the remaining chicken in 2 more batches. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Red Stripe Beer Pineapple Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bottles Red Stripe beer

• 3 cups diced pineapple

• 15 pimento berries

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1tsp grated/ground ginger

• 1tsp cinnamon

• 3tbsps cornstarch

• 4tbsps water

• 2tbsps lemon juice

• 4tbsps butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Place a large frying pan on medium-high heat.

2. Once hot, add the pineapples and pimento.

3. Once the pineapple starts to sweat, add the Red Stripe beer, cinnamon, ginger, and sugar.

4. Stir to incorporate and let it boil for 2 minutes, then add the lemon juice and cornstarch mixed with the water (add slowly and stir so you get your desired thickness; you may not need all of it). The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Add the butter to the sauce to give a nice, glossy finish and enjoy.