Crispy Chicken "Twister" Wraps
Buttermilk marinated chicken breast, dredged in an 11 herb and spice blend and fried until properly crispy, wrapped up with pepper mayo, lettuce, and tomato. A homemade take on the takeaway classic.
The same spice blend does double duty here, some goes into the buttermilk marinade to season the chicken from the inside, the rest gets mixed through the flour dredge to build flavour right into the crust.
These are best eaten fresh while the coating’s still crisp. Leftover chicken keeps in the fridge for 2 days, just reheat it in the air fryer or oven rather than the microwave, and assemble the wraps fresh each time.
Crispy Chicken "Twister" Wraps
CHICKEN · LUNCH · MEDIUM
A proper homemade takeaway favourite
Eleven herbs and spices sounds like a lot, but it's what gives this chicken that layered, familiar flavour rather than tasting like a single dominant spice. Worth measuring out properly rather than eyeballing it.
Letting the oil come back up to temperature between batches is the difference between crispy chicken and soggy chicken. It's tempting to rush it, don't.
The pepper mayo brings two distinct textures, coarse cracked pepper and fine white pepper, so every bite has a bit of a kick without leaning on hot sauce or chilli at all.
Crispy Chicken "Twister" Wraps
Ingredients
11 Herbs & Spices
- 18 g Salt
- 16 g Celery Salt
- 14 g Garlic Powder
- 14 g Paprika
- 7 g Ground Black Pepper
- 7 g Ground White Pepper
- 6 g Mustard Powder
- 7 g Ginger Powder
- 3 g Dried Oregano
- 1 g Dried Basil
- 1.5 g Dried Thyme
Pepper Mayonnaise
- 125 g Mayonnaise
- 7 g Ground White Pepper
- 30 cracks Black Pepper
- ¼ Lemon Juiced
- Salt To Taste
Tortillas and Filling
- 375 ml Buttermilk
- 2 Chicken Breast Sliced
- 125 g Plain Flour All Purpose
- 6 Flour Tortillas Warmed
- 2 Tomatoes Diced
- 3 Leaves Romaine Lettuce Chopped
- Oil for Frying
Method
- Add the herbs and spices to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the sliced chicken to a bowl with the buttermilk and 3 Tbsp of the herbs and spices mix. Marinate for 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
- Combine the remaining herbs and spices mix through the plain flour to make a seasoned dredge.
- Whisk together all the pepper mayonnaise ingredients in a bowl and adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Pour enough oil into a large, rimmed pan to fill it halfway, and heat to 180°C (350°F).
- Dredge the marinated chicken strips through the seasoned flour and fry in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes, until golden and crispy. Set aside and repeat with the remaining batches, letting the oil come back up to temperature between each one.
- Warm the tortillas in a microwave or oven. Spread with pepper mayo, then layer over the lettuce, tomato, and fried chicken. Drizzle over a little more pepper mayo and fold tightly.
What's in the 11 herbs and spices blend?⌄
Salt, celery salt, garlic powder, paprika, black and white pepper, mustard powder, ginger powder, and dried oregano, basil, and thyme. It's split between the marinade and the dredge.
Can I skip the marinade if I'm short on time?⌄
You can, but even 30 minutes makes a real difference to how seasoned and tender the chicken is. If you've got the time, longer is better, up to 24 hours.
Can I bake the chicken instead of frying it?⌄
You can, though you'll lose some of the deep-fried crunch the dredge is built for. Bake or air fry until golden and check it reaches 74°C (165°F) before assembling.
Can I make the pepper mayo ahead of time?⌄
Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, which makes assembling the wraps quicker when you're ready to eat.
