It’s the holidays so clearly it’s time for some fried chicken! Christmas enthusiasts know that Kentucky Fried Chicken is a staple in Japanese culture for this holiday, so embrace a new transition this season with an elevated version of this crispy treat by indulging in Seabourn’s Japanese Fried Chicken. After you’ve enjoyed a savory red curry sauce and blistered tomatoes creatively curated by Chef Anton Egger, dive into a magical after-dinner treat with Disney Cruise Line’s Christmas Cookie Cocktail. This festive sweet drink with its crumbly cookie topping is the perfect way to end a unique holiday season meal.

Japanese Fried Chicken – Seabourn

Ingredients

Chicken Breasts:

• 2 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 6 large chunks
• ½ cup / 60 grams all-purpose flour
• 2 whole eggs, beaten
• 1 cup / 120 grams panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons shichimi togarashi (japanese 7 x spice mix) – available online
• Pinch coarse kosher salt
• 2 cups / 500 ml vegetable oil / for frying

Red Thai Curry Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons red Thai curry paste
• 1 ½ cups / 350 ml coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon palm sugar / or white sugar
• 1 piece kaffir lime leaves (ideally fresh)

Wilted Spinach:

• 4 handfuls fresh baby spinach, washed and drained
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• pinch coarse kosher salt
• pinch fresh ground black pepper

Garnish (If you prefer not to garnish the dish simply leave out Steps 3 and 4.)

Blistered Tomatoes:

• 1 handful cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch coarse kosher salt
• pinch fresh ground black pepper

Oven Roasted Shiitake (Mushrooms):

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch coarse kosher salt
• pinch fresh ground black pepper

Jasmine Rice:

• 2 side bowls cooked jasmine rice / or any other rice of your preference

Directions

Step 1- Preheat the Oven

1.     Preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit / 220° Celsius.

Step 2 - Make the Red Curry Sauce

1.     Heat up the vegetable oil in a medium size skillet on medium heat.

2.     Add red curry paste, sizzle for a few seconds, and then pour in coconut milk and bring to the boil.

3.     Add kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and a pinch of sugar, reduce and simmer for 3-4 minutes; and set aside

4.     Tip - if you like it saltier, add more fish sauce; if you like it sweeter, add more sugar.

Step 3 - Make the Blistered Tomatoes

1.     Wash the cherry tomatoes and try with paper towel.

2.     In a bowl, combine all ingredients and toss to coat.

3.     Transfer the tomatoes to a baking sheet pan layered with aluminum foil

4.     Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the skin starts to blister of the tomatoes, remove from oven and set aside.

Step 4 - Oven Roast the Shiitake Mushrooms

1.     Wash the mushrooms and then dry with paper towel.

2.     Leave mushrooms whole, just trim the stems a little.

3.     In a bowl combine all ingredients and toss to coat.

4.     Transfer the mushrooms to a baking sheet pan layered with aluminum foil

5.     Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, turning mushrooms once or twice.

6.     Once done, remove from oven and set aside

Step 5 - Prepare the Chicken

1.     Season the chicken breast pieces with kosher salt.

2.     Prepare three dishes:

• one with the flour
• one with the eggs
• one with the panko breadcrumbs combined with the shichimi togarashi

3.     One by one, dredge each chicken piece in the flour, then the egg wash, then the panko-spice mix, then set aside.

Step 6 - Fry the Chicken

1.     In a large skillet, heat about a 1/4 inch (1 cm) of vegetable oil on medium heat.

2.     Fry the chicken pieces in batches for about 3 minutes per side or until they are cooked through and crisp on the outside. (The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.)

3.     Transfer the finished chicken pieces on paper towels to drain.

Step 7 - Cook the Spinach

1.     Heat a large skillet over high heat until hot.

2.     Add the sesame oil and the spinach and toss quickly with oil to coat.

3.     When spinach is just wilted, about 2 minutes, remove from heat and season with salt and fresh pepper.

4.     Discard any access liquid of the spinach and set aside.

Step 8 - Plate the dish

1.     Arrange the spinach onto the serving plate.

2.     Place the fried chicken onto the spinach.

3.     Spoon red curry sauce around the spinach.

4.     Arrange the blistered tomatoes and shiitake mushrooms onto the plate

5.     Garnish with some fried sage / or fried basil. 

6.     Serve with jasmine rice on the side. Enjoy! 

Christmas Cookie Cocktail - Disney Cruise Line 

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Baileys
• 1 ounce Kahlua
• 1 ounce peppermint schnapps
• Vanilla ice cream
• Chocolate sauce
• Whipped cream
• Cookie shavings

Directions

1. Blend Baileys, Kahlua, peppermint schnapps and ice cream.

2. Layer bottom of catalina glass with chocolate sauce.            

3. Pour drink and top with whipped cream and cookie shavings

See More Cruise Line Recipes