Breakfast Chicken Chalupa

 From the Breaking Bad television series  

Yo, yo, yo! 1-4-8-3 to the 3 to the 6 to the 9. Representin' the ABQ! I guess I should probably say that this post might contain some light spoilers, though really, the series did end over three years ago and I'm with Stephen King on the whole spoilers thing. Breaking Bad is about a high-school chemistry teacher/ family man who learns that he has lung cancer. He doesn't have enough money for treatment and he has a baby girl on the way, so he desperately tries to earn money by using his superior chemistry skills to cook up some meth. Things spiral from there as you watch the protagonist of the series, Walter White, slowly become the antagonist. This recipe is for an offering from everyone's favorite fictional fast food joint that's actually a cover for a giant meth operation, Los Pollos Hermanos. The chalupa was mentioned briefly in the beginning of the Season 4 episode Shotgun, when Walter visits the counter of his local Los Pollos Hermanos to try to meet up with the elusive Gustavo Fring. The employee at the counter, who's just doing her best, asks Walter if he would like to try their Breakfast Chicken Chalupa Combo Meal. Unfortunately, Walter isn't in the mood for a chalupa. There isn't much to go on here but the name of the meal so I combined a typical fast food "chalupa" with some spicy South American style fried chicken and some green chile hash browns for a touch of New Mexico. The recipe looks harder than it is. Though, as always with deep frying, you'll probably make a mess... But don't worry! There's someone who can help you clean up any mess. And the means justify the ends, as I think you'll find this chalupa tastes much better than roof pizza.


Ingredients: 

For the Chicken:
4 Chicken Tenders
1/2 cup Lime Juice
1/2 cup Orange Juice
3 Eggs, large
2 Garlic Clove, minced 
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Corn Flour 
1 tsp. Powdered Oregano
1 tsp. Chile Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Cumin
Cayenne, to taste
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Hot Sauce, to taste
Oil (for deep frying)

For the Hash Browns:
10oz Shredded Potato
7oz Roasted Green Chile, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 tbs Oil or Butter, for frying

For the Shell: 
4-6 Pillsbury Southern-Style Biscuits
Oil (for deep frying)

Optional Toppings:
Shredded Cheese
Shredded Lettuce
Pico De Gallo
Sour Cream

Directions:
1) Combine lime juice, orange juice, 2 cloves of the minced garlic, half a teaspoon of each spice and some salt and pepper in a non-reactive bowl, then add the chicken tenders and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge, covered, for at least 1 hour but overnight is best. When ready to cook, let the chicken sit at room temp for about 20 minutes before breading.
2) In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the hot sauce (if using) until the mixture turns bright orange. In a separate bowl, sift together both flours, the remaining spices and some S&P.
3) Set up your deep fryer with your frying oil of choice, heat oil to 350° F. You may also use a cast iron skillet or other high-temperature pot for frying. Here's a guide for those of you who do not have a deep fryer or frying experience. Be safe!
4) Dip the marinated chicken in the egg mixture, and then coat well in the flour mixture.
5) Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp, around 8 to 10 minutes. You may need do this in batches depending on the size of your deep fryer. Use tongs to make sure the chicken is getting fried evenly, you may need to gently rotate it occasionally.
6) Place fried chicken on a wire rack or a paper towel to rest. Now's a good time to make the hash and bake the shells.
7) Slice chicken into 1 inch pieces.
8) Assemble the chalupa! Add hash on top of the biscuit first, then the chicken slices, then the toppings. Fold the biscuit over to create a shell. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.

 For the hash browns:
1) Combine all hash ingredients (except oil)
2) Heat the oil or butter in the skillet over medium heat.
3) Cook potatoes until a crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Then, do your best to flip everything over and cook on the other side until a crust forms. Remove and set aside until ready to assemble the chalupa.

 For the shell: 
1) Separate six Biscuits and flatten to make 6-inch disks and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
2) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set aside until ready to assemble the chalupa.