I suppose it's no secret that cluckers turn up on my menu at least once a week. But the fact is that chicken is so versatile, I never get tired of it. That versatility also makes chicken a prime candidate for weeknight dinners, when I'm often short on time but still craving (and Bill is expecting) a good, home-cooked meal.
As you'd suspect, I put chicken on the table twice this week. But it took on two very different forms! Both of these recipes are outrageously easy, making them perfect to prepare at the end of a long work day.
Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chicken broth
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (or grated)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
Directions:
(The recipe didn't call for this, but I marinated by chicken thighs in 1 cup of the teriyaki sauce for about 30 or 40 minutes prior to cooking. I just feel like that gives them better depth of flavor.)
Heat grill (I used my indoor grill, same as the one I use for my awesome Hawaiian chicken). Coat grill rack with cooking spray or oil. Remove chicken from marinade and place on grill.
While chicken is cooking, bring broth and ginger to a boil. Stir in honey. When honey has dissolved into broth, add teriyaki sauce, then cook 2 minutes longer. Using a basting brush, coat chicken liberally with sauce while cooking. Grill chicken 20 minutes or until done (done being somewhere between 170-180 degrees when tested with an instant-read thermometer).
Ingredients:
6 chicken drumsticks
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. (Yeah really, 500 degrees. I didn't even know my oven went that high.) Place the drumsticks in a large bowl. Sprinkle five-spice powder and cayenne over chicken; add generous pinches of salt and lots of pepper. Rub the mixture into wings until no more loose rub remains.
Line the chicken on a rack placed on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until cooked through, browned, and crispy, turning once, about 25 minutes.
Note: These drummies were HOT! I have an issue with chicken skin, which is really where all the spice was, so I was going to peel it off anyway. But Bill's mouth may have been on fire :)
I once read Hugh Jackman complaining that he had to eat a flock of chickens a week when he was training to get massive for that Wolverine movie. I thought... how is that bad!? I could eat chicken day in and day out and never get bored too.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was a kid, my mom used to make chicken drumsticks a lot like your recipe- with cayenne and paprika. I haven't had those in years but I'm drooling just thinking about them!