Barbecue-Braised Thai Chicken Legs with Lemongrass Glaze

For the chicken:
2 tsp. ground turmeric 
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger 
1/2 tsp. ground coriander 
1/2 tsp. cayenne 
Kosher salt 
6 whole skin-on chicken legs 

For the braising liquid and glaze:
2 tsp. peanut oil 
1 cup finely chopped scallions (white and light-green parts only) 
1/3 cup finely chopped lemongrass (1 to 2 large or 3 medium stalks) 
1 Tbs. minced garlic 
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger 
1 Tbs. Thai green curry paste 
3 cups lower-salt chicken broth 
2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce 
1 Tbs. granulated sugar 
Kosher salt 

For serving:
1-1/2 cups Thai jasmine rice, cooked 

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SeasonIn a small bowl, combine the turmeric, ginger, coriander, cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt. Rub all over the chicken legs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

SearPrepare a gas grill for direct grilling over medium heat. Grill the legs until they begin to brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side (watch carefully for flare-ups). Set aside.

BraisePrepare the grill for indirect grilling. In an 8-quart heavy-duty pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and stir for 1 minute. Add the lemongrass and stir for 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the curry paste until the vegetables are evenly coated. Add the broth, fish sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.
Nestle the chicken legs into the braising liquid. Set the pot on the grill over the cool zone. Cover the pot, close the grill lid, and cook until the legs are tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a tray.
Pour the braising liquid into a heatproof vessel, such as a Pyrex measuring cup, and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Skim off and discard the fat.

GlazePrepare the grill for direct grilling over medium heat. Strain enough of the braising liquid to yield 1 cup and boil over medium heat in a small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup glaze, about 15 minutes. (Return the strained solids to the remaining cooking liquid).
Brush some of the glaze over one side of each chicken leg and grill glazed side down until the glaze begins to color, 2 to 3 minutes. Brush the other side of the legs with glaze and flip them over—the skin may stick to the grill a bit, so gently pry up any stuck areas before you flip. Grill until browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, reheat the remaining cooking liquid if necessary and season to taste with salt. Put some rice in each of 6 serving bowls, lean a leg against the rice, and ladle in some of the cooking liquid.

make ahead tips

You can make this dish through the braising step the day before serving. Just cool and wrap the chicken and braising liquid separately. Refrigerate overnight and glaze the next day. To spread out the work even more, you can season the chicken the day before you braise.

variations

To use a charcoal grill: To sear the chicken, build a medium-heat fire: Ignite about 5 quarts of charcoal (80 to 100 briquettes), using either a chimney starter or an electric starter. When the charcoal is burning well, spread it out over the surface of the charcoal grate and put the cooking grate in place. Let the charcoal burn down until it's coated with gray ash. To test the temperature, hold your hand about two inches above the cooking grate; when you can hold your hand there for 3 to 4 seconds (a medium-heat fire), you're ready to sear the chicken.

After searing, divide the coals evenly, banking them against two sides of the grill (use long-handled tongs to move the coals). Put the cooking grate in place; if your cooking grate has hinged sections, position them over the charcoal. Place an oven thermometer on the grate over the cooler area, close the lid, and let the coals burn until the thermometer reads about 350ºF. When ready, place the pot over the cool zone and braise as directed above. Check the thermometer every 20 minutes, replenishing the charcoal as necessary to keep the temperature between 325ºF and 375ºF. If the coals are still burning well, you can simply add a handful of unlit coals on top. Otherwise, you'll need to add lit coals.

To glaze the chicken, build a second medium-heat fire just as you did in the searing step. Continue with the glazing, as directed in the recipe.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 370; Fat (g): 19; Fat Calories (kcal): 170; Saturated Fat (g): 5; Protein (g): 34; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7; Carbohydrates (g): 15; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 4.5; Sodium (mg): 970; Cholesterol (mg): 105; Fiber (g): 1;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 99, pp. 57

May 6, 2009

Grilled Thai Chicken Breasts with Herb-Lemongrass Crust

1-1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems) 
3/4 cup coconut milk 
1/4 cup finely chopped lemongrass (from about 2 stalks) 
12 fresh basil leaves 
3 Thai bird chiles, 2 jalapeños, or 2 medium serranos, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
1-1/2 Tbs. kosher salt 
2 tsp. packed light brown sugar 
1-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
3/4 tsp. ground coriander 
12 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 to 5-1/2 lb.), trimmed (remove the tenderloins if still attached) 
2 limes, cut into wedges for serving 

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Combine 1-1/4 cups of the cilantro with the coconut milk, lemongrass, basil, chiles, garlic, salt, brown sugar, pepper, and coriander in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Arrange the chicken breasts in a nonreactive baking dish or other vessel large enough to accommodate them in a snug single layer. Pour the marinade over the breasts and turn to coat them well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Heat a gas grill to medium high or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. Grill the chicken (covered on a gas grill) until it has good grill marks on the first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken (cover a gas grill) and continue to cook until firm to the touch and completely cooked through (check by making a slice into one of the thicker breasts), 5 to 6 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and serve with the lime wedges.

serving suggestions

Though these breasts are great served hot off the grill, they’re also fine served cold in the coming days, either plain or sliced atop a salad.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 240; Fat (g): 7; Fat Calories (kcal): 70; Saturated Fat (g): 4; Protein (g): 39; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Carbohydrates (g): 3; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 510; Cholesterol (mg): 105; Fiber (g): 0;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 86, pp. 26a

July 1, 2007

Red leaf and cabbage salad

1 head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups) 
1 cup shredded red cabbage (about 1/4 small head) 
2 Tbs. red-wine vinegar 
5 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon 
2 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 
1 Tbs. honey 
1 large shallot, finely chopped 
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
3 oz. crumbled blue cheese (3/4 cup) 
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds 

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Tip: It’s important to cook the chicken over moderate heat. If the grill is too hot, the honey in the glaze will burn.

 Heat a gas grill to medium. Put the lettuce and cabbage in a large bowl, cover with a damp paper towel, and refrigerate. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with 2 Tbs. of the tarragon, 1 tsp. of the mustard, 1 tsp. of the honey, and the shallot. Whisk in 1/3 cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper.
Remove the tenderloins from the chicken breasts and reserve for another use. Put the chicken in a medium bowl and season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 3  Tbs. tarragon, 2  Tbs. mustard, 2  tsp. honey, and 1  Tbs. oil until well combined. Spread this mixture all over the chicken.
Put the chicken on the grill, cover, and cook the chicken on one side until grill marks appear, 5 to 6 min. Flip the chicken over, cover, and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, firm, and golden brown all over, another 4 to 6 min. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 min. Slice the chicken crosswise on an angle into 1/2-inch slices.
Toss the greens with just enough of the dressing to coat well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Portion the greens among four plates. Arrange the sliced chicken on and around the greens and drizzle with a little of the remaining dressing. Sprinkle with the blue cheese and almonds and serve.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : based on four servings; Calories (kcal): 477; Fat (g): 38; Fat Calories (kcal): 340; Saturated Fat (g): 8; Protein (g): 23; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 24; Carbohydrates (g): 13; Polyunsaturated Fat (g):4; Sodium (mg): 855; Cholesterol (mg): 52; Fiber (g): 3;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 72, pp. 86c

June 1, 2005

Grilled Chicken with Rustic Mustard Cream

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard, divided
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray
• 3  tablespoons  light mayonnaise
• 1  tablespoon  water
• Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Prepare grill.
2. Combine 1 teaspoon mustard, oil, and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.
3. While chicken grills, combine 1 tablespoon mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Serve mustard cream with grilled chicken. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Source: Cooking light, also in the book "Fresh Food Fast"
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001896137

Buffalo Style Grilled French Cut Chicken Breasts with Blue Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 1/2 cup hot sauce (recommended: Frank's)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 French-cut chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin (8 teaspoons)
• Canola oil
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus some whole leaves for garnish
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (recommended: Cabrales

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium; make sure the grill is ready for cooking over indirect heat. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons ancho powder and heat for 10 seconds. Stir in hot sauce and honey and season with salt and pepper. Remove about 1/4 cup for garnish, and keep both portions warm.
Season each side of the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon each ancho powder, and cumin, and the salt and pepper. Drizzle canola oil over the both sides. Grill skin side down over medium heat, uncovered, until the skin is nicely charred.
Flip the chicken, moving it to indirect heat, and brush with a good amount of the hot sauce glaze. Cover and cook, brushing occasionally with sauce, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Whisk together the heavy cream and creme fraiche in a medium bowl. Stir in the parsley and blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. When chicken is done, remove from the grill and spoon blue cheese sauce over each piece. Drizzle the 1/4 cup reserved glaze over and garnish with whole parsley leaves.

Source: Bobby Flay
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/buffalo-style-grilled-french-cut-chicken-breasts-with-blue-cheese-sauce-and-jicama-and-watermelon-salad-recipe/index.html