Chicken

On the menu tonight – Peri Peri Chicken!

What is Peri-Peri? It’s a spicy little pepper, also known as African Bird’s Eye Chili. I heard about it on a cooking show and they mentioned how difficult it was to find this pepper. Challenge accepted! It took very little time to find a source on the internet, and within a few days I had a package from Thailand with my new found peppers!

I said it was a spicy pepper. Peppers’ heat is measured in Scoville units. A Jalapeño pepper measures 2500-8000 Scoville units. The Peri-Peri measures 50,000 – 175,000 Scoville units, so they definitely put out some heat. The peppers are also pretty small, it looks like you would need a lot of them. Be careful.

The really funny/curious thing I found when researching recipes for Peri-Peri Chicken is I didn’t find one that actually used the Peri-Peri pepper. I know they aren’t a pepper that you’ll likely find in your local market, but at least have them in the recipe and put out an alternative. Rant over.

When you make this dish, it is best if you make the marinade, coat the chicken, and let it sit in the fridge for a day.

Take the chicken out of the fridge about an hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. You can use that time to start your rice. My Cilantro Lime Rice is perfect with the Peri-Peri chicken.

The next time you plan to grill, try something different. Try making this dish and let me know what you think.

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Peri-Peri Chicken

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4-6

Peri-Peri Chicken

Ingredients

• 4-10 Peri-Peri Peppers (Arbol chilis if you can't find Peri-Peri)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Kosher salt
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp five-spice powder
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 bay leaves, crushed
• 6 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Instructions

1

In a food processor, add the chilis, oil, salt, garlic, tomato paste, shallot, sugar, paprika, five spice powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, pepper, cayenne, and bay leaves. Process until smooth

2

Taste it to check the heat level. You want it hotter, add more peppers and/or cayenne pepper

3

Pierce the chicken pieces all over with a knife or skewer to let the mixture get deep into each piece.

4

Put the chicken, peanuts, and sauce in a freezer bag. Mix it up until the chicken is fully coated

5

Put in the fridge at least 6 hours, better over night

6

When it is time to cook, pull the chicken from the fridge early enough to let it come to room temperature (about 20 - 30 minutes)

7

Pre-heat the grill to high

8

Put a pie tin with about 2-3 cups of water on one side of the grill and the chicken on the other.

9

Maintain a grill temp of about 325-350 degrees

10

Grill until you get a nice char on each side, about 5 minutes on each side

11

Once it looks good, move to a cooler part of the grill or lower the heat to finish cooking

12

We are looking for an internal temp of about 160 degrees (temperature will rise about 5 more degrees as you let it rest)

13

If the juice runs clear, it's fully cooked. If you see some pink in the juice, it needs more time

14

Serve with some lemon wedges to squeeze over each piece

I put it out there for suggestions of what you would like to see me make and several requests came back for Chicken Wings. This version is pretty simple but still full of flavor. I made a quick rub of garlic salt and pepper, then seasoned the wings. This is the most basic of seasonings, but once you get a basic recipe down the seasoning options are limitless.

My charcoal grill was setup for low and slow at about 225 degrees. You could also use a gas grill with a smoker box, or even bake them in the oven. Since I was already grilling some ribs I used the charcoal grill.

After 30-40 minutes (it will depend on your grill), I took the wings off and served some tossed in my BBQ Sauce and some with sauce on the side. The next time you fire up your grill, try grilling some chicken wings.

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Grilled Chicken Wings

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes – Total Time: 35-45 minutes

Grilled Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs chicken wings, clip the wing tips and save in the freezer to make chicken stock
• 1/4 cup Garlic Salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper

Instructions

1

Pre-heat your grill to 225 degrees

2

If you haven't already, clip the wing tips from the wings

3

Separate the drumette from the wingette

4

Season the chicken (both sides) with the dry rub - be careful how much you put on as garlic salt is mostly salt. You can always add but you can't take away, just sayin'

5

Put the wings on the grill over indirect heat and close the lid to let the wings get a little smokey

On the menu tonight – Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs!

After being on vacation last week, it was time to get back in the kitchen. Summer is coming to an end, so I wanted to make sure I grilled out this weekend. Chicken is one of my go-to grill items, but I wanted to do something a little different.

I went slightly Asian this time. The marinade is soy sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, some thyme, and a little salt and pepper.

After grilling the chicken, I took the marinade and made a nice sauce. It was SO GOOD! You know that sauce your chicken has from the Chinese restaurant? This was that only BETTER!

I hope you’ll try this dish and let me know what you think.

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Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 3 hours – Cooking Time: 40 minutes – Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp thyme
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 3/4 cup water

Instructions

1

In a 2 cup or more glass measuring cup, mix the soy sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. (you can add the garlic now or wait to use it in the sauce. I prefer to wait and use it in the sauce)

2

Rinse your chicken and put it in a one gallon zip lock bag. Put the bag in a bowl in case it leaks and then in the fridge for 2-3 hours (more is ok)

3

When it's time to cook, pull the chicken from the fridge and let it start coming to room temperature

4

Pre-heat the grill as hot as you can get it

5

Once the grill is to temperature, put on the chicken, skin-side down and let it cook about 15 minutes. DON'T TOUCH IT! Let it get those beautiful grill marks

6

After about 15 minutes, give the chicken a quarter turn and let it cook another 12-15 minutes

7

Flip the chicken and let it cook another 12-15 minutes

8

While the chicken is finishing up on the grill, start your sauce. Put a medium sauce pan on medium heat and put in your marinade (add the garlic if you didn't add it in the beginning)

9

Let the marinade reduce about 5 minutes

10

In a measuring cup add your cornstarch and water, mix well, and add a little to the marinade (about 2-3 tablespoons)

11

The sauce needs to come to at least a gentle boil for the cornstarch to do its thing

12

Once it's to the consistency you want, cut the heat and move to another burner

13

Take the chicken off the grill and let it rest about 5 minutes

14

Serve with the sauce on the side

Notes

I think the next time I make this, I'll include a little lime on the side too for some acid.

I love chicken Parmesan. The crispy crust covering the chicken and melted cheese are a hard combination to beat. This isn’t the soggy homemade chicken Parmesan covered with the stuff from that green cylinder that you’ve probably had. This is the chicken Parmesan you had at an Italian restaurant.

While this isn’t a difficult recipe to make, it does take a little time and planning. The chicken needs to be butterflied and pounded. You could probably buy it prepped, but try going through the process. Also, if you want to go all out, you’ll have either make homemade tomato sauce or have some already made. I wouldn’t fault anyone for using a good jarred sauce.

Once you’ve got the chicken and sauce ready to go, you’re most of the way there. Here’s a bonus for you. If you use an extra chicken breast, you can use that extra cooked chicken for an awesome sandwich. I bought some pepperoni and re-heated a piece of the chicken with some pepperoni and mozzarella under the broiler – OMG! It was AWESOME! The prepared chicken is also the beginning of chicken saltimbocca, but that will be another post.

I hope you’ll try this recipe and let you know what you think!

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Chicken Parmesan

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin (about 1/8” thick)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian seasoned)
• 20 grams salt and vinegar potato chips, crushed finely
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 2/3 all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup tomato sauce, jarred or home made
• 2 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
• 2 oz Italian fontina, shredded
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil for garnishing

Instructions

1

Cut the butterflied and pounded breasts into 6-8 even pieces.

2

Season with the salt on both sides and place on a rack inside a sheet pan. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3

Combine the breadcrumbs, potato chips, oregano, parsley, and garlic powder in a gallon zip-top bag and crush.

4

Set up breading station. Put the flour in one pan, the eggs in the next, and the breadcrumb mix in the third pan. Also have a wire rack over a sheet pan to put the breaded pieces as you work.

5

Get the chicken from the fridge and pat it dry with paper towels.

6

Dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off excess flour, then dip into the eggs and drain the excess.

7

Finally, coat with the breadcrumbs and then place on the rack.

8

Pre-heat the broiler on high.

9

Pre-heat a large pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 tablespoon of butter.

10

When the butter foams, add about half the chicken – don’t crowd the pan, leave room between the pieces.

11

Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Try not to move it around as it cooks but you can peak at about a minute and 30 seconds to make sure the breading isn’t burning.

12

Repeat on the other side.

13

After you have removed all the chicken, wipe the pan clean with paper towels and repeat cooking process for the remaining chicken.

14

Spread about a cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish and broil until the sauce bubbles and begins to caramelize. Time will depend on your oven and how far the dish is from the burner. Don’t walk away, watch it.

15

Remove the dish from the oven and arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer.

16

Put a dollup of sauce on each piece of chicken. Don’t completely cover the chicken with sauce. You took the time to make a nice crispy crust, don’t make it soggy now.

17

Spread the shredded cheeses over the sauce and chicken.

18

Put the pan under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and brown.

19

Once finished, garnish with the parsley or basil. (Note, if you use basil serve it quickly as the heat will discolor the basil)

On the menu tonight – Stir Fry Chicken and Broccoli!

I love Chinese food, but it can get expensive going out or ordering take out frequently. Luckily, you can make your own take out favorites in the time it takes to wait on delivery. Chicken and Broccoli is one of my go-to take out meals.

This version only takes about 25 minutes to make. Preparation is key to getting it done quickly. Start by cooking the rice since it will take the most time. You’ll have the meal finished in about the same time as it would take to order and wait for it to arrive.

The next time you’re craving Chinese take out, try making this Stir Fry Chicken and Broccoli. Let me know how it turns out.

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Stir Fry Chicken and Broccoli

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 25 minutes

Stir Fry Chicken and Broccoli

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low sodium)
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1-2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• ½ tablespoon corn starch
• ½ tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tablespoons oil for cooking chicken and veggies (peanut or vegetable oil)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 4 cups broccoli, pre-cooked
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup rice

Instructions

1

Pre-cook the broccoli.

2

Pre-cook the rice. (see my Cilantro Rice recipe to perfectly cook your rice)

3

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.

4

Pre-heat a wok or large pan with oil.

5

When the oil shimmers, add the chicken in batches. Don’t crowd the pan.

6

Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.

7

Transfer to a plate or bowl and continue with the rest of the chicken.

8

Once all the chicken is cooked, add a little more oil to the wok or pan and add the ginger, carrot, garlic, and green onions.

9

Add the chicken back to the pan with the broccoli and stir to combine.

10

Pour in the sauce and stir until the sauce thickens.

11

Transfer to a serving dish.

12

Serve over cooked rice. Check out my Cilantro Lime Rice recipe to make the perfect rice.