It isn’t clear why the kidnappers even wanted the crispiest sandwich, but one thing is clear: Sometimes a really good sandwich is enough to save a life. 

Ingredients

Crispiest Sandwich Ingredients:

• ½ crusty baguette

• 3 Tbsp mayonnaise, divided

• 2 tsp whole grain mustard

• 1 piece Panko Fried Chicken

• 2-3 Baked Bacon strips, cooked 

• 2-3 Fried Green Tomatoes 

• 1-2 Fried Cheese slabs

• 1-2 Iceberg Lettuce leaves

Dredge Ingredients:

• 2 whole eggs

• 1 ½ Cups buttermilk 

• 1 ½ Cup all-purpose flour 

• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp ground cayenne 

• 1 tsp smoked paprika 

• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ tsp onion powder

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp white pepper

• ½ Cups fine cornmeal

• 2 Cups panko breadcrumbs 

Panko Fried Chicken Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, butterfied 

• As needed kosher salt

• As needed freshly ground black pepper

• 48-64 oz fry oil of choice

• Dredge

• As needed finishing salt

Fried Green Tomatoes Ingredients:

• 3-4 green tomatoes, sliced ¼ - ⅓ inch thick

• As needed kosher salt 

• 48-64 oz fry oil of choice

• Dredge

Fried Cheese Ingredients:

• ½ lb low moisture mozzarella 

• 48-64 oz fry oil of choice

• Dredge 

Baked Bacon Ingredients:

• ½ lb thick-cut bacon

Method

Crispiest Sandwich Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F

2. Cut the baguette in half and spread 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise over each of the cut halves. 

3. Place the baguette, cut-side down, onto a small rimmed baking sheet. Top the baguette with another sheet tray to weigh it down, then toast in the preheat oven for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 

4. Mix together the remaining mayonnaise with the mustard, then spread the mixture of both sides of the toasted baguette. 

5. Layer the Panko Chicken, Baked Bacon strips, Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Cheese slabs, and lettuce to assemble the sandwich. 

6. Enjoy immediately. 

Dredge Method:

1. Combine the eggs and buttermilk in a medium bowl, whisk to combine and set aside.

2. In a shallow rimmed plate or baking dish, whisk together the flour, salt, cayenne, paprika, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and white pepper. Set aside. 

3. In another shallow rimmed plate or baking dish, add the cornmeal, then set aside.

4. In a final shallow rimmed plate or baking dish, add the breadcrumbs, then set aside.

Panko Fried Chicken Method:

1. Pat the chicken with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature for 25-30 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oil in a large high-walled skillet to 375 °F.

3. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, the egg mixture, then finally, in the breadcrumbs. 

4. Working in batches, carefully add the dredged chicken breast to the fry oil and fry for 8-12 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the chicken) or until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 °F and crisp.

5. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined sheet tray and season immediately with a sprinkling of finishing salt. 

6. Set aside on a rack until ready to use.

Fried Green Tomatoes Method:

1. Place the sliced tomatoes on a rack and season with salt. Let sit at room temperature for 25-30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oil in a large high-walled skillet to 350 °F.

3. Pat the tomato slices dry using a paper towel, then dredge the slices first in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the cornmeal. 

4. Fry the tomato slices until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Tranfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

5. Set aside on a rack until ready to use.

Fried Cheese Method:

1. Cut the mozzarella into slabs about ⅓-½ inch thick and roughly the length of the sandwich.

2. Dredge the cheese in the flour mixture, egg mixture, breadcrumbs, then back into the egg mixture and breadcrumbs for a double coat.

3. Freeze the cheese slabs for 20 minutes before frying. 

4. Meanwhile, preheat the oil in a large high-walled skillet to 375 °F.

5. Add the partially frozen slabs to the preheated oil and fry for about 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 

6. Set aside on a rack until ready to use.

Baked Bacon Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F with convection.

2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a grill rack into the sheet tray. 

3. Place the strips of bacon onto the grill rack and transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. 

4. Bake the bacon for 18-24 minutes, flipping each slice halfway through the baking time, or until crisp and deeply browned.