Serious Eats: Recipes - Poultry

Cornell Chicken (Grilled Chicken With White Barbecue Sauce)

2012-05-18T13:25:00Z

About the author: Joshua Bousel brings you new, tasty condiment each Wednesday and a recipe for weekend grilling every Friday. He also writes about grilling and barbecue on his blog The Meatwave whenever he can be pulled away from his grill.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: Blender, Grill

Ingredients

serves serves 8, active time 1 hour, total time 4 hours

1 egg
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 chickens (3 1/2 to 4 pounds each), cut into quarters
Type of fire: two-zone indirect
Grill heat: high

Procedures

Place egg in blender and pulse until beaten. With motor running, slowly pour in oil, a thick emulsion should form. Add in vinegar, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary and puree until combined.
Using a paring knife, cut a few small slits in skin of each piece of chicken. Transfer chicken to a large resealable bag and pour in all but 1 cup of sauce. Place in refrigerator and let sit for 3 hours, up to overnight.
Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place chicken, skin side up, on cool side of grill and cover. Cook, basting every 10 minutes with reserved sauce, until breast meat registers 155 degrees and thigh meat registers 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer inserted in thickest part of meat, 30 to 45 minutes.
Move chicken to hot side of the grill, flip skin side down, and cook until skin crisps and browns, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter, let rest for 10 minutes, then serve immediately.

Grilled Coq au Vin

2012-05-10T20:55:00Z

[Photograph: Kerry Saretsky]

In the spring and summertime, sitting in a kitchen watching a hot stew bubble away is unthinkable. Criminal! But that doesn't mean that classics like coq au vin are any less delicious. Here, all the flavors of coq au vin, from the bacon to the onions and mushrooms and wine, condensed into a thick, earthy, completely unique barbecue sauce that is slathered onto wine-soaked, highly inebriated chicken. Grilled on a hot grill, it's an elegant, but easy and unique take on the classic stewy coq au vin, fit for a balmy night.

About the author: Kerry Saretsky is the creator of French Revolution Food, where she reinvents her family's classic French recipes in a fresh, chic, modern way.

Special equipment: grill pan or grill

Ingredients

serves serves 2 to 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 55 minutes, plus overnight marinate

2 bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs (about 1 pound)
2 bone-in skin-on chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
2 cups red Burgundy wine
1 3/4 ounces cubed pancetta (about 1/3 cup)
1 very large shallot, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 ounce dried wild mushrooms
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedures

Place the chicken and wine in a large baggie and refrigerate over night. Remove the chicken, and pat dry. Reserve the wine.
In a medium saucepan, cook pancetta over medium heat until just starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally until shallots are soft, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add the reserved wine and porcinis, and bring to a boil. Add the ketchup, mustard, sugar, vinegar, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook over low heat until the mixture is thick and coats a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, and purée mixture in the blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat a cast iron grill pan or a grill to medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and toss in about 1/3 of the barbecue sauce. Lightly oil the hot grill and cook chicken turning once, until breasts register 155°F on an instant-read thermometer and legs register 165°F, about 30 minutes. If chicken skin begins to burn, reduce heat and continue cooking. Remove chicken from grill as it reaches temperature and tent with foil to keep warm. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

S. H. Fernando Jr.'s Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

2012-05-08T17:00:00Z

[Photograph: Susan Now]

Chicken Curry or Kukul Mas was the first recipe that S.H. Fernando Jr., author of Rice & Curry added to his Sri Lankan recipe repertoire. It's a wonderfully creamy curry that begins by assembling a Roasted Curry Powder that lends all the rich, deeply spiced flavors to the curry.

The curry powder is a kitchen sink mix of all sorts of South Asian spices, each toasted individually, and whizzed together at the end, making for a uniquely warm blend that complements all matter of fiery chiles. But if grinding your own curry seems too daunting of an undertaking, it's worth noting that Fernando hand-blends his own curries that can be ordered right here.

Once you've got your curry, store-bought or homemade (no judgement here), you sprinkle it on the chicken along with a healthy dose of cayenne and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Here's where you have a little wiggle room. If you're pressed for time, simply let it marinate for a least half and hour and proceed, but if you have luxury of time, let it really soak in overnight.

What Worked: Fernando's Roasted Curry powder brings a level of savory depth to this ultra creamy, lightly spicy chicken curry.

What Didn't: The longer you can allow the chicken to marinate, the better. Giving the chicken a chance to really take in that roasted curry powder and cayenne is what this recipe is all about.

Suggested Tweaks: If you're worried about chicken breasts drying out, you can always swap in juicier dark meat thighs.

Ingredients

serves makes 6 servings, active time 1 hour, total time 1 hour

1 whole fryer chicken, cut into parts
3 tablespoons Roasted Curry Powder (recipe follows)
1 to 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2-inch (5-cm) piece ginger, chopped
1 sprig curry leaves
2-inch (5-cm) stalk lemongrass
3 cardamom pods
3 cloves
1-inch (2.5-cm) cinnamon stick
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Roasted Curry Powder:
1 tablespoon uncooked rice
4 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2-inch (5-cm) cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
5 cardamom pods, shelled
5 cloves
2-inch (5-cm) piece pandanus (optional)
2 sprigs curry leaves

Procedures

For the Roasted Curry Powder: Toast each ingredient separately in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and browned. Remove from heat, cool, and grind together in a coffee grinder. Store in a glass jar in the fridge.
For the Chicken Curry: Wash and clean chicken, removing most fat and split the thighs, breasts and legs.
Place chicken in bowl with curry powder, cayenne powder, and vinegar. Mix well with hands and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Note: Marinate the chicken overnight for optimum results.

In a large pot, heat oil. Once hot, add onions, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, lemongrass, cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Fry until onions are golden brown.

Add chicken pieces one by one, stirring occasionally until chicken is browned.

Add a little water to the bowl that contained the chicken and slosh around to catch any remaining marinade and add to pot. Cover and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Stir in coconut milk and some salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste and simmer for additional 2 minutes.

Mark Bittman's Chicken Cutlets with Quick Pan Sauce

2012-05-04T16:55:00Z

[Photograph: Romulo Yanes]

Quick weeknight chicken dinner is one of those recipe topics that never gets old. And a recipe that goes from chicken in the fridge to satisfying dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, well even better. This is exactly why these Chicken Cutlets with Quick Pan Sauce from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything The Basics are such a keeper.

Not too fancy, just dredge chicken cutlets (or breasts or thighs), crisp them in butter and olive oil, move them to the oven to keep warm, and proceed with the best part of this recipe, the pan sauce. It's kind of amazing how rich a pan sauce can be, simply made by scraping the fond, adding a bit of wine, and swirling in a pat of butter at the very end. It's only a matter of minutes, but it's the sauce that really makes the dish.

What Worked: Mark Bittman calls these cutlets quick, dependable, rich, and rather elegant and we're wont to agree, it's that rich, winey pan sauce that gives them that elegance.

What Didn't: We're quite pleased with this recipe every step of the way.

Suggested Tweaks: Here are some ideas from Bittman regarding switching up the cutlet recipe:

Any Cutlets with Quick Pan Sauce: Try turkey, pork, or veal cutlets; or fish fillets here. Cooking times will vary by up to a couple of minutes per side, but the clues for knowing when to turn them and how to recognize doneness remain the same.

Chicken Cutlets with Balsamic Sauce: In Step 5, stir in 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar just before adding the butter.

Ingredients

serves 4 servings, active time 20 to 30 minutes, total time 20 to 30 minutes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or tenders
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
1 lemon, quartered, for serving

Procedures

Heat the oven to 200°F. Put the flour on a plate or in a shallow bowl next to the stove. If necessary, put each cutlet between 2 sheets of sheet of plastic wrap and pound to uniform thickness; blot the chicken dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, turn a piece of the chicken in the flour to coat it on all sides; shake off any excess. Add the floured chicken to the pan, then repeat with the next piece; work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan.
Cook, adjusting the heat as needed so that the fat is always bubbling but the chicken doesn’t burn. After 2 minutes, rotate the chicken so that the outside edges are moved toward the center and vice versa (don’t flip them; you want the same side in contact with the fat). When the bottom of each piece is brown, after 3 to 4 minutes, turn them over.
Cook on the second side, adjusting the heat as described in Step 3, until the chicken is firm to the touch but still a bit pink inside, another 3 to 4 minutes. To check for doneness, cut into a piece with a thin-bladed knife and take a peek. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof platter and put it in the oven.
Add the wine to the skillet, keeping the heat at medium-high. Let it bubble away as you stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, until about half the wine has evaporated, a minute or two. Pour in the water and continue to stir until the liquid has thickened slightly and reduced to 1/4 cup, another 2 or 3 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl the pan around until the butter melts; turn off the heat.
Remove the chicken from the oven, and if any juices have accumulated on the platter, add them to the skillet along with the 1/4 cup parsley. Stir, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and serve with the lemon quarters.

Mindy Fox's Peanut Soba, Cabbage, and Chicken Salad

2012-05-02T18:50:00Z

Flipping through Mindy Fox's most recent cookbook Salads: Beyond the Bowl, it's clear that Fox, who is the food editor at La Cucina Italiana magazine, is trying to stretch the definition of what a salad can be. It's also refreshing that her range of flavors goes way beyond Italian food, like in this twist on Asian sesame noodles.

Why I Picked This Recipe: I absolutely love sesame noodles, which are fast and easy to prepare and a welcome break from more familiar noodle dishes. But the idea of taking them not as the entire meal, but as the base of a salad with simply dressed shredded cabbage and poached chicken breast, sounded like an interesting and still-quick dinner idea.

What Worked: The cabbage and radish salad against the noodles turned out to be the perfect way to bring lightness and crunch to a dish that does tend to have a monotonous texture. The chicken cooking technique--it's simmered briefly then left to sit off the heat to finish cooking in the warm broth--resulted in exceptionally moist chicken.

What Didn't: It may have been my fault, but the recipe didn't call for rinsing the noodles after cooking, so I didn't. As a result, when I mixed them together with the peanut sauce, the texture ended up rather gummy. I would consider this best as a cold salad and highly suggest rinsing the noodles before tossing them with sauce.

Suggested Tweaks: Rather than salting the chicken before putting into a pot of simmering water, season the water first with salt until it's pleasantly salty. This way the chicken will be seasoned all the way through while it cooks.

Adapted from Salads: Beyond the Bowl.

About the author: Blake Royer is a food writer, photographer, and filmmaker based in Chicago; he has been writing for Serious Eats since 2007. You can follow him on Twitter @blakeroyer.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 25 minutes

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon (or more to taste) sambal, Sriracha, or other chili sauce
1 large clove garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 pound Savoy cabbage, shredded
3/4 cup radishes, thinly sliced by hand or on a mandoline
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 1/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons juice from 2 limes
3/4 pound soba noodles (or substitute another Asian-style noodle)
3 large scallions, julienned

Procedures

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the chicken breasts to the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for 6 minutes. Cover, turn off the heat, and allow to slowly poach until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes more. Remove, allow to cool, and thinly slice.
In the meantime, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, chile sauce and half the sesame oil in a blender or small food processor. Blend (or process) until smooth. If needed, add up to 1/2 cup water to achieve a loose texture for coating noodles.
In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, radishes, most of the cilantro, the grapeseed oil, lime juice and the remaining sesame oil. Season to taste with salt.
Cook the noodles in abundant water until just al dente, then drain and rinse to remove excess starch. Dress with the peanut sauce and arrange in 4 shallow bowls.
Top the noodles with the cabbage salad, the remaining cilantro, the scallions, and the sliced chicken. Serve with more lime wedges if desired.

Competition-Style Barbecue Chicken Thighs

2012-04-27T12:44:23Z

Note: I did not go out my way to get powdered citric acid and the rub was just fine.

Adapted from Wicked Good Barbecue by Andy Husbands and Chris Hart with Andrea Pyenson

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: Smoker or Grill, Marinade Injector

Ingredients

serves Makes 6 servings, active time 2 1/2 hours, total time 9 hours

White BBQ Rub :
1/2 cup Kosher salt
6 tablespoons turbinado sugar
3 tablespoons freshly ground white pepper
4 teaspoons lemon pepper
4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons powdered citric acid (see note above)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
12 meaty chicken thighs, about 5 pound
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 tablespoons margarine, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
2 cups competition-style barbecue sauce, such as Blues Hog or Meat Mitch
1 cup white grape juice
3/4 cup agave nectar
2 disposable aluminum trays
2 small chunks apple wood
Type of fire: Indirect
Grill heat: Low

Procedures

To make the rub, combine salt, sugar, white pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, powdered citric acid, and dry mustard in a small bow. Set aside.
Carefully remove skin from chicken thighs by running finger between skin and meat and gently pulling to separate. Lay thighs side-by-side and and trim each one into uniform, trapezoid shapes, removing excess fat. Turn thighs over and cut away muscle along the back of the thigh bone.
Using a paring knife, carefully scrape excess fat from chicken skins. Trim skins so they’re slightly smaller than the thighs (the skin should wrap around the thigh, fully covering the front and about half of the back). Reattach skins by threading toothpicks on both sides of bottom of the thigh, securing meat and skin together. Refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.
Using a marinade injector, inject 1/2 ounce of chicken stock into left and right side of thigh meat. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle back of each thigh with 1/2 tablespoon of White BBQ Rub and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Fire up smoker or grill to 250°F, adding chunks of smoking wood chunks when at temperature. Place 6 tablespoons of margarine in each pan. Rest one chicken thigh on top of each piece of margarine, skin-side up. Sprinkle tops of thighs with 1/2 tablespoon of White BBQ Rub. Place in smoker and smoke for 1 hour.
Cover each pan with aluminum foil and continue to cook for 1 hour more.
In a medium saucepan, combine barbecue sauce and grape juice. Heat sauce over medium heat until warmed through.
Remove thighs from smoker and remove toothpicks. Using tongs or gloved hands, submerge each thigh into warm sauce. Shake off excess sauce and place thighs back in smoker, directly on grill grate. Cook until sauce is caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes more.
Spread out a large sheet of aluminum foil. Squirt 12 swirls of agave nectar onto foil and sprinkle a pinch of White BBQ Rub on each swirl.
Remove thighs from smoker and place each, skin-side down, on an agave swirl. Let rest for 10 minutes, then serve

Nicaraguan Arroz con Pollo

2012-04-26T12:55:00Z

Notes:

This recipe can be cut in half.
Chicken may be poached 2 days in advance. To store, place chicken and 3 cups strained broth in airtight container and refrigerate.
Rice may be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
For a quicker version of this recipe: Rather than cooking the diced carrots with the rice, substitute them and the frozen peas with 2 1/2 cups of frozen peas-and-carrots. Buy a rotisserie chicken (you'll need about 4 cups shredded chicken) and low-sodium chicken broth instead of poaching your own chicken and making your own broth.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: large soup pot or Dutch oven, instant-read thermometer, tongs, strainer, large bowl, large heavy-bottomed saucepan with lid, large skillet with high sides

Ingredients

serves serves 8 to 10, active time 1 hour, total time 2 hours

For the Chicken
1 whole large chicken (about 4 to 5 pounds), cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
1 medium yellow or white onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
8 cups cold water
1 lime, halved
For the Rice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups long-grain white rice
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice (about 1 cups)
4 cups chicken broth
For the Arroz con Pollo
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces smoked sausage (such as Lil’ Smokies) or Kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1/4 pound sliced deli ham, coarsely chopped
1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup drained canned or jarred piquillo peppers, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 tablespoons ketchup
3/4 cup pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
1/3 cup capers, drained
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Salt
1 cup (2 ounces) finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Buttered white toast (optional)

Procedures

For the chicken: Place chicken, onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, peppercorns, and water (chicken should be submerged 2 inches; add more water if necessary). Squeeze lime juice into pot and add spent lime halves to pot.
Bring to boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is cooked through (chicken’s temperature should read 160°FF), about 20 minutes.
With tongs, transfer chicken to large bowl. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, removing and discarding bones. You should have 4 cups shredded chicken.
Strain broth and discard solids. Reserve 4 cups and store the rest for different use.
For the rice: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, onion, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until darkened, about 1 minute.
Stir in rice and carrots and cook, stirring, until rice is completely coated with onion mixture, about 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Continue to boil until most of the liquid has evaporated and you can see small bubbles on the surface of the rice. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until rice is done. Remove from heat and fluff rice with chopsticks or fork.
For the arroz con pollo: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet with high sides. Add sausage and ham and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in now empty skillet. Add onion and piquillo peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until darkened, about 1 minute. Add ketchup and chicken and cook, stirring, until chicken is completely coated in mixture.
Stir in rice, then reserved sausage mixture. Stir in olives, capers, and frozen peas. Cook, stirring occasionally to allow flavors to meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and buttered white toast.

Jamie Oliver's Steamed Asian Chicken "Parcels"

2012-04-25T18:30:00Z

[Photograph: Blake Royer]

When I first learned to cook, Jamie's Kitchen was my most confidence-inspiring cookbook. The other day I pulled it down from the shelf and flipped through it. Dozens of recipes triggered memories, like the first time I discovered Italian salsa verde, and how to make risotto. But my goal was to find something in an old favorite that I'd never tried before.

Why I Picked This Recipe: While quick chicken recipes are pretty common, many of them can be boring, using the same old techniques with little variation. But in years of cooking, I've never seen anything quite like this. Raw chicken thighs are blended up with aromatics like ginger, garlic, and scallions to make a paste, which is then quickly folded into cabbage leaves and steamed. It actually comes together far more quickly than you'd think.

What Worked: Curiously, the recipe calls for a can of water chestnuts blended in with the chicken. But it turned out to be the perfect way to keep the mixture from being too dense, and the texture was fantastic.

What Didn't: While I like the idea of a dipping sauce for these, I would be just as inclined to lay them nicely on a plate and drizzle with sauce.

Suggested Tweaks: If it's easy to find, lemongrass would be a great addition to this mixture.

Adapted from Jamie's Kitchen.

About the author: Blake Royer is a food writer, photographer, and filmmaker based in Chicago; he has been writing for Serious Eats since 2007. You can follow him on Twitter @blakeroyer.

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 25 minutes

1 medium savoy or Chinese cabbage
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
6 scallions, white and light green parts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 to 2 fresh small red chili peppers
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs, roughly chopped (about 1 pound)
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts
2 tablespoons juice and 2 teaspoons grated zest from 2 limes
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Your choice of dipping sauce, such as prepared sweet chili sauce, or hoisin thinned with soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Procedures

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Remove and discard the tough outer leaves of the cabbage, then slice off the root end and separate the leaves. Plunge them into the boiling salted water to blanch for 2 minutes, then remove to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. Pour out all but a couple inches of water in the bottom of the pot and place a steamer inside the pot (or place a bamboo steamer on top of the pot).
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the garlic, ginger, scallions, cilantro, red chilis, fish sauce, and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt until everything is minced. Add the chicken, water chestnuts, lime zest and juice, and sesame oil. Process until completey pureed; the result will be a kind of meat paste.
Lay out the leaves of cabbage on a cutting board and place a small amount (2-3 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture onto the root end of a cabbage leaf. Fold the leaf over once to enclose the chicken, fold both sides in, then roll it once again so that the seam side is down. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and chicken.
Bring the water in the bottom of the steaming pot to a boil, then place the parcels seam side down into the basket. Cover and steam until the chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes depending on their size.
Serve with the dipping sauce and the toasted sesame seeds scatted on top.

Chicken Massaman Curry (Kaeng Matsaman Kai)

2012-04-23T14:55:13Z

[Photograph: Leela Punyaratabandhu]

For maximum flavor, it is best to use bone-in pieces of chicken in this curry. The dried spices are optional, but recommended.

Note: Massaman has several spelling variants. Look for anything resembling "massaman" or "masman" on the labels of commercial curry paste.

About the author: Leela is the author of the Thai food blog SheSimmers.com. You can follow her at @shesimmers

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 15 minutes, total time 30 minutes

1 (13-ounce) can of full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup prepared Massaman curry paste (see note above)
8 medium-sized chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds)
1 pound of waxy potatoes (such as red potatoes or yukon gold), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
8 large shallots, peeled or 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons finely-chopped palm sugar or 2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons prepared tamarind pulp
3 cinnamon sticks (optional)
4 pieces of star anise (optional)
1/3 cups dry roasted peanuts (optional)

Procedures

Spoon out about 3/4 cup of the creamy part of the coconut milk that rises to the top of the can and put that in a large heavy-bottomed pot along with the curry paste. Fry the mixture over medium-high heat until the coconut milk starts to turn oily.
Add the chicken drumsticks to the pot along with the remaining coconut milk, sugar, fish sauce, tamarind pulp, and just enough water to barely cover the chicken.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce the heat to medium to achieve a simmer. Let the chicken stew, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes, shallots, and dried spices (if used) to the pot. Add more water, if necessary to make sure all ingredients are submerged. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Continue to cook, covered, until the chicken, potatoes, and shallots are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in the peanuts (if used). Remove the curry from heat and let it cool down a bit before serving with steamed jasmine rice.

Zakary Pelaccio's Curry Leaf Fried Chicken

2012-04-18T15:30:00Z

[Photograph: Michael Schrom]

Reading through this recipe for Zak Pelaccio's Curry Leaf Fried Chicken from Eat with Your Hands, you might not believe that the finished product is really just good old fried chicken. After all, how many recipes call for brining your bird in cincalok, a Malaysian fermented shrimp sauce, and sprinkling it with curry leaves once it's out of the oil?

But after frying up a batch, we're on board with Pelaccio. All of the crispy skin and juicy meat that we love in a great fried chicken recipe is here, along with a few intriguing background notes from the brine as well as the unique herbal qualities that only come with fresh curry leaves. Exotic and familiar at the same time, and yes, good old fried chicken.

Recommended playlist and drinks pairing:

Listen: Burning Spear, Live, from '77--I'm not so into Malaysian music, and reggae is island music, too!

Drink: Cold island beer like Red Stripe or cold star fruit juice.

What Worked: Brining the chicken in the cincalok boosts savoriness beautifully and the fried curry leaves that finish this chicken push it over the top.

What Didn't: We're usually pretty happy with any fried chicken, and this one was wasn't just any fried chicken recipe. It's a great one. No changes here.

Suggested Tweaks: If you can't find cincalok, try a fish sauce brine.

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 1 hour 30 minutes, total time 1 day

For brining the chicken:
One 8-ounce bottle cincalok, a Malaysian fermented shrimp condiment
2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 dried bay leaf
1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
Chili Vinegar
2 cups chopped long green chilies, such as Anaheim or Hungarian Wax
2 cups distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
For the chicken:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup freshly ground black pepper
6 cups neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
Coarse sea salt
4 sprigs fresh curry leaves

Procedures

The day before, brine the chicken: In a large saucepan, combine the cincalok, garlic, peppercorns, coriander seeds, bay leaf, and 2 cups water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes. remove the pot from the heat and let the solution cool completely. Pour the cooled mixture into a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, tossing well, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
The day before, make the chili vinegar: Puree the chilies, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sea salt together in a blender. Transfer the liquid to a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for at least 24 hours to let the flavors meld. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding any solids.

That day, fry the chicken: Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Dredge the pieces of chicken in the flour and put them on a cooling rack set over a baking pan. Let sit them for 5 minutes and then repeat the dredging process to make sure you get a perfect coating of flour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan to 350°F over high heat (measured on a deep-frying thermometer). once the temperature is reached, reduce the heat to medium-high to maintain it.

Working in batches, add the chicken to the oil and fry until the chicken is golden, crispy, and cooked through, about 12 minutes for white meat and 15 to 17 minutes for dark. Remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack. Season generously with coarse sea salt.

When the chicken has finished cooking, fry the curry leaves in the cooking oil until crispy, about 10 seconds, then transfer them with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Place the chicken on a large plate and crumble some of the fried curry leaves over it. Pile a few more whole fried curry leaves on the side as a garnish and serve with a little bowl of the chili vinegar.

Spanish Roast Chicken with Romesco and Grilled Onions

2012-04-14T18:45:00Z

Few things in life are more satisfying than roast chicken. And when your bird is slathered with spicy, citrusy pimentón rub and served with tangy romesco? Resistance is futile. [Photograph: Jennifer Olvera]

Note: Smoked paprika can be found in the international or spice aisle of most high end supermarkets. It is also labeled pimentón de la vera. It comes in sweet (dulce), medium (agrodulce), and hot (picante) varieties. This recipe calls for hot.

About the author: Jennifer Olvera is a veteran food and travel writer and author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Chicago."

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: Roasting pan, blender, grill

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 2 1/2 hours

For the Chicken:

1 large chicken (4 to 5 pounds)

2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika (see note above)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup juice from 1 orange

8 medium cloves garlic

For the Romesco:

3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

7 hazelnuts, toasted, with loose skins removed while warm

1 slice stale bread, roughly torn

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained

1 1/4 cup fire-roasted tomatoes (from a 14-ounce can), drained

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Onions:

12 gree onions or scallions, trimmed.

2 teaspoons olive oil

Procedures

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place on a v-rack in a roasting pan, tucking wing tips behind shoulder of the bird.

Mix smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Drizzle olive oil and orange juice over chicken, sprinkle with spice mixture and massage evenly over the bird until it’s an even, burnished red hue. Place garlic cloves in the bottom of the roasting pan.

Place chicken in oven to cook. Using tongs, remove garlic cloves and transfer to a small plate when tender, about 30 minutes. Continue to cook chicken basting with pan juices every 30 minutes after the first half-hour of cooking, until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F and the breast registers at least 145°F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the Romesco. Combine roasted garlic, almonds, hazelnuts, bread, peppers, tomatoes, sherry vinegar, and pepper flakes, in a blender. Prepare romesco by adding all ingredients, except olive oil, to a blender. Pulse a few times to break up large chunks, then puree, adding olive oil in a slow, steady stream, about 30 seconds total. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove chicken from oven, tent it lightly with foil and allow it to rest. Meanwhile, preheat a grill or grill pan on high. Toss onions with olive oil then grill until charred on first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until charred on second side and tender, another 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carve chicken or transfer to platter to carve tableside. Drizzle with pan drippings, scatter platter with grilled onions and serve with romesco sauce for passing.

Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's General Tso's Chicken

2012-04-09T18:55:40Z

[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]

Adapted from Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking

About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is the editor of Serious Eats: Chicago. He loves tacos and spicy food. You can follow him as @nickdk on Twitter.

Ingredients

serves serves 3 to 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

1 large egg

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of white pepper

5 to 6 tablespoons cornstarch, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin

2 teaspoons white rice vinegar

2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine

3/4 teaspoon red chili oil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger

2 teaspoons sugar

3 1/2 cups peanut oil

8 small dried red chiles, preferably Thai chiles

5 scallions, white parts only, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Procedures

Crack the egg into a medium-sized bowl, and lightly beat it with a fork. Add the salt, white pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the corn starch, and stir until combined. Add the chicken meat, and toss well. Set mixture aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a second bowl, combine the soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, red chili oil, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Whisk until smooth.

After the 15 minutes, pour the oil into a large wok set over high heat. Bring the oil up to a temperature of 350°F. While the oil warms up, place a sheet of wax paper on a large sheet pan, and add 3 tablespoons of the cornstarch. Add the pieces of chicken on top, and toss until they are completely coated. Add an additional tablespoon of cornstarch if needed.

When the oil is ready, shake off any excess cornstarch on the chicken, and carefully add them to the wok. Cook, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until browned, two to three minutes. Turn off the heat, and remove chicken pieces with the slotted spoon, and drain on some paper towels.

Remove all but 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil. Turn the heat to high, and when the oil is just starting to smoke, add the chiles, and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the scallions, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken pieces back to the wok, and toss constantly for a minute until the pieces are coated in the chile and scallion oil. Pour in the sauce, and stir-fry until the pieces are evenly coated, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Serve the chicken immediately with rice.

Roast Chicken with Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing

2012-03-31T18:45:00Z

[Photograph: Sydney Oland]

Note: Store-bought cornbread can be used in place of the homemade. If using store-bought, skip step 2.

About the author: Sydney Oland lives in Somerville, Mass. Find more information at sydneyoland.com (or read eatingnosetotail.com)

Special equipment: large roasting pan with rack, 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan, kitchen twine

Ingredients

serves serves 4 to 6, active time 30 minutes, total time 2 hours (plus overnight for the brine)

For the Brine:

2 quarts cold water

1/2 cup table salt or 3/4 cup kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1/2 lemon

1 chicken (about 4 pounds)

For the Cornbread: (see note above)

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

For the Stuffing:

1 pound bulk sausage (casing removed if necessary)

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedures

For the Brine: Bring a quarter of water, salt, sugar, black pepper, bay leaves and lemon to a simmer in a large stockpot. Add remaining cold water. Place chicken in a large pot or bowl and cover with chilled brine. Weight down with a plate to submerge. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to overnight.

For the Cornbread (see note above): Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together vegetable oil, milk and egg. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix until well combined and pour into prepared baking pan. Bake until just beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Turn oven down to 375[°].

Once cornbread is cooked carefully remove from pan and cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Cut into 2-inch cubes and spread on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and beginning to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.

For the Stuffing: Crumble sausage and cook in a medium skillet over medium-high heat stirring frequently and breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add shallot and continue to cook until shallots are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from pan and reserve.

When ready to stuff the chicken remove from brine and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl combine cornbread, sausage mixture, half of parsley and chicken stock and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stuff cornbread stuffing into chicken (it may not all fit—you can bake the rest separately). Using two pieces of kitchen twine truss chicken by tying bird once around the wings, and then once around legs securing the ends of the drumsticks together. Place on a rack in a baking sheet and roast until center of stuffing, as well as between leg and body reaches 155°F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with remaining parsley

Roasted Bone-in Chicken Breast

2012-03-27T19:25:00Z

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

[Photograph: Blake Royer]

About the author: Blake Royer is a food writer, photographer, and filmmaker based in Chicago; he has been writing for Serious Eats since 2007. You can follow him on Twitter @blakeroyer.

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 10 minutes, total time 45 minutes

2 whole bone-in chicken breasts, or 4 split breasts, trimmed of excess fat, about 3 pounds total

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Herb or spices for the butter, such as minced garlic or parsley (optional)

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Procedures

Heat an oven to 450°F. Line a broiler pan with foil and set a rack on top of it. In a small bowl, combine the butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt. If desired, add herbs or other flavorings to the butter.

Season the both sides of the chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper. Using a finger, carefully loosen the skin from the meat and slide the butter underneath it. Using the back of a spoon, carefully spread the butter evenly under the skin of each breast.

Rub the skin of each breast with vegetable oil. Place the breasts on the rack and roast until the skin is golden brown and the meat is cooked through, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes.

Carve the breast off the breastbone and rib cage, then slice cross-wise. Serve immediately.

Chicken Kiev

2012-03-23T15:15:00Z

[Photograph: The Russian Tea Room]

Of all of the carefully curated recipes in The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook, Chicken Kiev has got to be the one with the most retro caché and and quite possibly the one most worth revisiting.

Reprinted with permission from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin. Copyright © 2012. Published by Smart Pop Books. Available wherever books are sold. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

serves serves 6, active time 45 minutes, total time 1 hour 45 minutes

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

6 chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), tenderloins removed

¾ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 eggs beaten

2/3 to 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

2 quarts vegetable, peanut, or canola oil

Procedures

Cut butter into six equal pieces (2 tablespoons each). With moist hands, shape each butter portion into a roll 3 inches long and ¾ inch thick (alternatively, you can shape the butter inside a piece of wax paper). Wrap butter portions in wax paper and freeze while preparing chicken breasts.

Trim any fat from breasts. Lay each breast on wax paper, cover with another sheet of wax paper, and with a mallet or rolling pin pound meat to 1/8 inch thickness. Pound meat as thin as possible at the edges since the thinner the edges, the easier it will be to seal them firmly to prevent butter from oozing out during cooking. Be careful not to tear the meat. Each pounded breast should be approximately 8 inches long and 5 inches wide.

To assemble, gently peel off the wax paper from each breast. Sprinkle one side of each breast with salt and pepper. Place one piece of butter in the center of the chicken breast. Fold two sides over the butter. Fold one end of the breast and roll up the rest of the way.

Coat each cutlet on all sides with flour, shaking off excess. Dip lightly into beaten eggs shaking off excess. Roll in breadcrumbs, coating the cutlets evenly and shaking off the excess. Place cutlets in one layer on a platter, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Heat oil to 360°F in a Dutch oven or large wok over high heat. Carefully lower three chicken cutlets into the oil and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes total. The cutlets should not touch each other during frying. Turn twice, using tongs or 2 spoons for turning and for removing the cutlets from the hot oil; this will prevent their being pierced. Drain on paper towels and transfer to heated serving dish. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Alternate method: Preheat oven to 350°F. You can fry cutlets for 3 minutes, turning once. Place cutlets in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, and cook uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Turn over twice while cooking using tongs or two spoons. Drain on paper towels before serving.