Recipe: Asian Chicken Thighs with Minted Cucumbers | Apr 24th 2008
This is a summery dish if ever I saw one–spicy, yet refreshing, and really good on the grill (or so I imagine–I was stuck with my indoor grill pan, of course). Even though I got serrano pepper in my eye and then cut myself while chopping mint, the great flavors of this meal made all of my pain subside. Well, not really, but it was darn tasty.
Note: In Cooking Light magazine, this recipe is called “Seoul-ful Chicken with Minted Cucumbers.” Love the dish, hate the pun.
Cucumbers:
- 1 English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
Chicken:
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Cooking spray
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
To prepare cucumbers, place cucumber slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt, tossing well. Drain 1 hour. Place cucumber slices on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Combine cucumber, shallots, and next 6 ingredients (through chile) in a large bowl; toss gently. Cover and set aside.
To prepare chicken, combine soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to soy sauce mixture in bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 4 thighs in pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 thighs. Place 2 thighs and 1/2 cup cucumbers on each of 4 plates; sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon green onions.
Sounds good. I’m not big on cucumbers (they’re the culinary equivalent of cold water), but when used to cool off a dish that’s otherwise spicy and flavorful, they can add a lot of complexity.
Comment by Barzelay — May 1, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
It was really tasty. For this dish, though, I feel like the cucumbers served more as a textural addition rather than a cooling element (since the marinade for the cukes was pretty darn spicy on its own). Either way, I love cucumbers, so I was pleased with the combo.
Comment by bettyjoan — May 1, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
[...] and a new (ish) job, so my cooking and my blogging have both suffered mightily. I have made a few tried-and-true recipes in my parents’ awesome kitchen, and I’ve checked out a couple of pubs [...]
Pingback by I have arrived! « Trouble With Toast — June 3, 2008 @ 12:21 am