Thai Spiced Coriander Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a 30cm shallow casserole dish or high-sided frying pan. Fry the chicken thighs, skin-side down, just to get some colour on them (they will take on a deeper colour in the oven). Transfer them to another dish. Fry the onion in the pan until soft and pale gold. Add the garlic, spices and chillies. Cook for 2 mins more, then stir in the squash, cauliflower, rice, half the coriander, the lime zest, half the lime juice, the lime leaves and some seasoning. Put the chicken back in the pan, this time skin-side up, and season that as well.
• Heat the coconut milk and the chicken stock together until just below boiling point. Pour this around the chicken and put the pan in the oven, uncovered. Cook for 40 mins, or until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Squeeze over the remaining lime and scatter with the rest of the coriander. You could gently push the coriander into the rice, so it's not all on top. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, cut 3 deep slashes into the skinned side of each chicken breast. Place the breast in a single layer in a wide, non-metallic dish.
• Put the garlic, chilli, ginger, coriander, lime rind and juice, soy sauce, caster sugar and coconut cream in a food processor and process until a smooth puree forms.
• Spread the puree over both sides of the chicken breasts, coating them evenly. Cover the dish and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
• Lift the chicken from the marinade, put into a baking dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes until thoroughly and evenly cooked.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining marinade in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for several minutes to heat thoroughly. Pour sauce over the chicken breasts, accompanied with rice and vegetables.

Steps:

• Use a stick blender or mini food processor to whizz up all the chutney ingredients, then chill.
• Heat the oil in a large, lidded frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry for 9-10 mins, then add the ginger, garlic and chilli. Cook for a few mins more, then add the chicken. Brown well, then add half the coriander chutney and reduce the heat. Cover and cook for 15-20 mins or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Rinse the rice in a sieve, then tip into a large, lidded saucepan. Stir in all the ingredients for the rice. Pour over enough boiling water to cover the rice by 1cm, cover, bring to the boil and cook for 5 mins. Turn off the heat and leave to steam-cook with the lid on for 20 mins. Fluff up with a fork, then season.
• Put the broccoli and green beans in a pan and add 100ml boiling water. Cover and cook over a medium-high heat for 4-5 mins. Drain and return to the pan with the oil, ginger, chilli flakes and some seasoning. Cook for another 2 mins, then serve with the chicken, remaining chutney and the rice.

Steps:

• Marinade
• Spatchcock chicken the Thai way by placing it breast side up on a large cutting board. Using a sharp, heavy knife and working just to the side of the center of the breast, cut down through to the breastbone (do not cut all the way through to the backbone). Now that the path has been created, use the same knife-or, easier, a sturdy pair of kitchen scissors-to make a clean cut all the way through the breastbone and anything else that is still connecting the 2 sides of the breast together. Open up chicken and turn skin side up. Press down on chicken to flatten. Pat thoroughly dry.
• Grind peppercorns in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a food processor or leave in mortar and pestle and add garlic, cilantro roots, brown sugar, fish sauce, turmeric, salt, coriander, cumin, and cardamom and process or pound until smooth. Coat chicken completely in marinade, pressing to adhere and working into nooks and crannies. Place in a large bowl and cover with a plate. Let chill at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Let chicken sit at room temperature 1 hour before grilling or baking.
• Sauce
• Purée pineapple and vinegar in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and add garlic, jalapeños, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat so sauce is at a simmer and cook until thick and smooth (consistency should be similar to cocktail sauce), about 5 minutes.
• Chicken and assembly
• Grind saffron to a fine powder in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small saucepan and add granulated sugar, salt, and ¼ cup water and cook over medium heat just until heated through and small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Whisk in coconut oil and remove from heat.
• If using a grill, prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off); oil grate. Arrange chicken, skin side up, on cooler part of grill. Close lid and grill, rotating chicken but keeping skin side up every 5-10 minutes, until skin looks dry and golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast and thighs registers 130°-140°, 35-40 minutes. If using charcoal and your coals are dying, start a new chimney of coals 15 minutes before this point so you are ready for the next step.
• Uncover grill and increase heat to high (add more coals for a charcoal grill). Brush one fourth of basting liquid over skin and turn chicken over, positioning over direct heat on the hot side of the grill. Grill, brushing half of remaining basting liquid over bone side of chicken, until skin is browned and lightly charred in spots, about 3 minutes. (Watch carefully as this can happen quickly.) Turn chicken over and return to cooler side of grill. Brush skin with remaining basting liquid. Cover grill and continue to grill chicken until thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160° and thickest part of thighs registers 165°, 10-15 minutes longer.
• If using an oven, place a rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°. Place chicken, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Brush one third of basting liquid over skin. Bake, rotating baking sheet every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast and thighs registers 130°-140°, 35-40 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 450°. Brush remaining basting liquid over skin and continue to bake, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until skin is crisp and charred and thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160° and thickest part of thighs registers 165°, 10-15 minutes longer.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest at least 15 minutes. Carve up further as desired.
• Top dipping sauce with cilantro. Serve chicken with rice and dipping sauce alongside.
• Cook's Note
• If you cook the chicken in the oven, using the dhungar method to perfume the finished chicken with the scent of smoky ghee is highly recommended.