sel et sucre

Tag: chicken

  • Thai Chicken Satay

    thai chicken satay

    The combination of flavors in the marinade here seemed strange to me at first (coconut, turmeric, sugar, and coriander?), but I decided to roll with it because I really trust the recipe source (the great She Simmers which not only has fantastic authentic Thai recipes but also appeals to the linguistics nerd in me with the lovely accompanying information on Thai pronunciation and etymology). I’m glad I did because this chicken satay was very easy to make, and the result was delicious on its own and completely addictive when served with peanut sauce and ajat. This would be great food for a party, especially if you get the grill going to cook the chicken on skewers (the traditional way). But since I couldn’t find skewers and don’t have a grill (and wasn’t feeding a crowd, besides), I pan-fried the chicken and found that worked just fine. Using high heat and cooking in batches was crucial to getting a nice char. I suspect you could also bake these, if you wanted, with a couple minutes of broiling at the end. And for those who don’t like chicken, this marinade can also be used on shrimp (shorten the marinating time to 5 – 10 minutes) or tofu (you might want to extend the marinating time).

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Three Cup Chicken

    three cup chicken

    Here’s a follow-up to my post on Monday – another recipe that hinges on the unique flavor of Thai basil. This recipe, however, is a popular Taiwanese one. Similar to pound cake and 3-2-1 stir fry, the recipe is in the name here. Three cup chicken was traditionally made using a nearby tea cup to measure out equal amounts of soy sauce, shaoxing cooking wine, and sesame oil for the extremely flavorful sauce. Of course, it’s not just those ingredients that make this dish so tasty. You may notice the seemingly ridiculous amounts of garlic, ginger, and Thai basil called for here and be tempted to cut back. Don’t; you’ll thank me. If you don’t have much tolerance for spice, feel free to cut back on the bird’s eye chiles, but leave the rest be. I was amazed at the tangy, sweet, and spicy (yet not overwhelming) flavor in this dish. Definitely best served over rice (or cauliflower rice) to soak up any extra sauce.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Balsamic Barbecue Chicken

    balsamic barbecue chicken

    There’s something immensely satisfying about making a lot of adaptations to a recipe and having it turn out exactly as you’d hoped. That was definitely the case with this balsamic barbecue chicken where I took inspiration from my char siu recipe and decided to take a similar approach by using half the sauce to marinate and the other half to baste and serve with the completed dish. This chicken is amazingly flavorful with a good tartness and sweetness to the sauce, and, as I’d hoped, the marinating time helped the chicken to absorb extra flavor and stay moist. The end result would be tasty served alongside roasted vegetables, on a bed of greens, in a sandwich, or on a pizza.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Fesenjan: Persian Pomegranate Walnut Chicken

    fesenjan

    Fesenjan is a simple and intensely flavored Persian chicken stew, thick with tart-sweet pomegranate molasses and rich toasted walnuts. Pomegranate molasses is a pantry staple of mine, and this recipe relies heavily on the syrup for it’s fruity tartness which permeates the chicken as it cooks. The use of walnuts meanwhile reminds me of the cashews in my vegetable korma except the walnuts here are only ground to fine bits instead of a paste. Actually, I think I’ll try grinding the walnuts to a paste with water as in the korma recipe next time; I imagine that would work well for anyone who doesn’t want actual crunchy bits of walnuts in the finished stew (although, personally, I like the variety of textures). The spicing is very simple with a few whole cardamom pods and a cinnamon stick thrown in – many recipes actually don’t even call for these (and you’ll be okay leaving them out), but I’ve found they add a little extra depth.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Chicken Adobo

    chicken adobo

    Chicken adobo is a Filipino dish where chicken is marinated and then cooked in a combination of vinegar and soy sauce. I like the flavor from apple cider vinegar (although I’m pretty sure it’s not traditional), and you’ll also want to make sure to use good quality soy sauce. I typically marinate in the same pot I’m planning on cooking it in (if your pot is a temperature-sensitive material, remember to let the pot come to room temperature before putting it on the stove to avoid damaging it with the heat difference) which also makes this an astoundingly easy meal. Chicken adobo is traditionally served over rice to soak up the sauce, and I’ve found I’m also a big fan of peas as a side (as pictured here).

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Jerk Chicken Chili

    Jerk Chicken Chili

    I first made this jerk chicken chili when I went camping for the first time. I was tasked with choosing dinner recipes, and this recipe stood out because it seemed relatively simple and could be made in a single pot yet had an interesting combination of flavors. It turned out delicious, and I set about making it at home recently, wondering if I only remembered it being so tasty because we had been starving and in the wilderness (well, relatively so – we were actually at a well-established campground with treehouses). But this chili turned out equally delicious prepared in more traditional surroundings!

    This recipe is a great way to use leftovers of my perfect roast chicken (especially after cooking it with a jerk rub), but you can also use a cooked rotisserie chicken purchased from the grocery store to make this especially easy. The chili was outstanding paired with a generous dollop of sour cream and some fantastic honey-glazed cornbread. The inclusion of all-spice adds a slight twist to the traditional chili flavors (I would recommend grinding whole all-spice, if possible, for maximum flavor; I love my trusty mortar and pestle for things like this), and the bit of chocolate stirred in at the end is a great touch. I think next time I make this, I’ll replace one cup of the stock with a cup of beer (ideally something dark and smoky), adding it slightly before adding the stock to deglaze the pan.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • The Perfect Roast Chicken

    The Perfect Roast Chicken

    Roasting a chicken is a culinary feat I used to think was reserved for better chefs than I. But this recipe easily yields a perfectly cooked, succulent chicken and is actually much simpler than many other dishes I take on. There are a couple tricks that make this recipe a cut above the rest – brining the chicken is the main key to its juiciness, and cooking at a high oven temperature turns the skin a fabulous crispy golden brown. This is also a recipe with a lot of downtime, so you have the opportunity to take care of some of those chores you’ve been putting off while the chicken is brining, in the oven, or resting.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Summer Succotash

    Summer Succotash

    I love the abundance of fresh high-quality produce that’s available in the summer.  The farmers’ market sets up shop one block from me every Sunday, and I like to spend my morning strolling through, sampling peaches here and heirloom tomatoes there, not to mention cheese from Keswick Creamery, bacon from Truck Patch Farms, and gelato from Dolcezza Gelato.  Yes, I’m very spoiled (from May to November, at least).

    (more…)

    Related Posts: