Summer brings with it all kinds of lovely grilled foods. And then there’s the barbecue sauce. Barbecue sauce, and yes, there are a variety of renditions that start to paralyze my palette. Most of the time, it’s a red candy coating with a splash of Worcestershire.
Several months ago, I did a recipe for a Korean inspired grilled skirt steak. Since many of my friends opt for chicken, and the recipe for the beef would not be appropriate for poultry, I looked for a way to adapt that marinade for grilled chicken.
While I used boneless thighs, you can use any cuts you like. Keep in mind that boneless pieces cook more quickly, and without the skin, the tasty coating is directly on the meat itself. Marinating time will vary with your cut. I find skinless, boneless thighs ideal.
I intended to grill these marinated thighs. So, I brushed the grill with oil and heated it. Then, something happened. I looked at the marinating thighs, studded with garlic, ginger and scallions, all in a glittering pool of seasoned and flavorful liquids. And I said, “No. This is not for a grill.”
I dredged each piece in the flour. In the heated iron skillet, I poured a layer of olive oil, and browned the pieces on each side. After removing the pieces of chicken from the skillet and placing them on a plate, I poured the marinade into the skillet and cooked it thoroughly, de-glazing with white wine as I went along. When a sauce began to develop in the pan, I placed the chicken pieces back into the skillet, and raised the heat higher. When the contents sizzled and bubbled, I added more white white, turned the thighs and covered to simmer.
What You Need
Non reactive Pyrex dish for marinating
Large cast iron skillet
8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbl. Soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbl. White cooking wine
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. fresh chopped ginger
1 -1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeño
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 Tbl. Ketchup
Flour seasoned with dash of salt for dredging
1/4 C. Fresh chopped cilantro, reserving 1Tbl. for garnish
2 thinly sliced scallions, reserving 1 Tbl. for garnish
Olive oil for skillet
White wine for deglazing
What to Do:
Blend all the ingredients except for the chicken, in the non-reactive dish. Add the chicken and thoroughly coat each piece with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours, and up to eight.
Before cooking, allow the chicken to sit at room temperature to lose the icy chill.
Cook according to instructions above. Serve with the rice or grain of your choice, or a green summer salad. This dish surprised me in a delightful way. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!
By Lisa Reitman Dobi
