Lacquered Chicken Recipes

LACQUERED CHICKEN IN RED MOLE

Steps:

• On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the tomatillos 4 inches below the broiler until splotchy black and thoroughly soft, about 5 minutes per side. Scrape roasted tomatillos into a large bowl, along with any juices from the sheet.
• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer half of the toasted sesame seeds to a large mixing bowl to combine with the roasted tomatillos; set aside the other half for serving.
• Remove and discard the stems, seeds, and veins from the dried chiles. Heat ¼ cup of the lard or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Tear the dried chiles into large pieces and toast in the oil until they become aromatic and their interior side has lightened in color, 20-30 seconds for each side. (You will need to work in batches.) As they're done, remove them to a large bowl, draining as much fat as possible back into the skillet; reserve the fat. Cover the toasted chiles with hot tap water and allow them to rehydrate, 30 minutes.
• With the skillet still over medium heat, toast the almonds and garlic cloves, stirring, until they are browned and the garlic is soft, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the almonds and garlic into the bowl with the tomatillos and sesame seeds, leaving as much fat as possible in the skillet. Add the raisins to the hot skillet and stir for 20 or 30 seconds, until they''ve puffed and browned slightly. Scoop them out, leaving as much fat as possible in the skillet, and add to the tomatillo mixture; reserve the fat. Set the skillet aside, off the heat.
• Grind the black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and anise seed to powder in the mortar; transfer the powder to the tomatillo mixture. Tear the toasted bread into large pieces and add to the mixture; roughly chop the chocolate before adding.
• Add 2 cups of water to the tomatillo mixture. Drain the rehydrated chiles, reserving the soaking liquid if it''s not bitter. Otherwise, drain and substitute fresh water. Working in batches, add the drained chiles and some of the soaking liquid (or fresh water) to a blender; starting at low and moving to high speed, purée until very smooth. As you go, add more water as necessary to achieve an even consistency, similar to a thick canned tomato sauce. Use a rubber spatula to press the purée through a medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard the bits of skin and seeds that don''t pass through. Repeat with the remaining chiles.
• Heat ½ cup lard (or vegetable oil) in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When it's hot, add the chile purée; it should sizzle sharply. Stir and adjust the heat as necessary to keep the chile purée at a brisk simmer. Stir every couple of minutes until it has darkened and reduced to the consistency of tomato paste, about 30 minutes.
• Blend the tomatillo-nut mixture as smoothly as possible (you may need an extra cup or so of water to keep everything moving through the blades). Pass the purée through the medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; then add to the pot. Stir to combine and simmer over medium-low to low heat, stirring every few minutes, until the mixture is considerably darker and thicker, about 30-45 minutes.
• Check the thickness by dragging a spoon or rubber spatula across the bottom of the pot. If the spoon leaves a deep trail, the mixture is thickened sufficiently.Add the broth to the mole and stir well. Partially cover the pot and briskly simmer the mixture over medium to medium-low heat, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until the flavors come together and mellow, about 2 hours. If the mole has thickened beyond the consistency of a cream soup, stir in a little water.
• Season with salt (1 heaping tablespoon), and taste. Then add the sugar, stir, and taste. If necessary, add more sugar a tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go, until the mole tastes mellow and balanced: you should be able to detect hints of flavor from all the ingredients. (Note: Mole can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.) For the Lacquered Chicken in Red Mole (not in video): Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, mix together 1 cup of the mole with the agave nectar or corn syrup. Simmer over medium heat until glossy and reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes; set aside. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets; season generously with salt. Bake until the chicken pieces are tender to the bone and the juices at the thickest part of the leg and thigh portions run clear, about 45 minutes.Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Pour off the juices that have collected around the chicken, then brush the pieces liberally with the mole mixture. Sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds. Bake until a glaze forms on the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Then serve each portion of chicken with an additional ½ cup of the mole, garnished with watercress or flat-leaf parsley.

CHINESE FIVE SPICE LACQUERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Chicken:.
• Preheat oven to 425*F.
• Stuff the chicken cavity with the scallions, ginger, and orange zest. Set a v or regular rack in a roasting pan and brush with 1 teaspoons of the peanut oil. Whisk the rermaining 1 teaspoons peanut oil with the sesame oil, honey, and soy sauce. Brush the soy mixture over all of the chicken and sprinkle with five spice powder.
• Tuck the wings under the back, cross the legs, and tie them with kitchen twine. Place the chicken breast side down on the rack and roast until the back is golden brown, 35-40 minutes.
• Remove chicken from the oven and turn it over, breast side up. Cut the string where it holds the legs together and gently open the legs a bit. Baste the chicken with the pan drippings and roast again until the breast is golden brown and a meat thremometer inserted in the thigh registers 170*F., 20-25 minutes more. Move to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
• To make sauce:.
• Whisk the soy sauce with the rice vinegar, sesame oil, orange zest, ginger, garlic and scallion in a small bowl.
• Carve the chicken into 8 pieces, serve, and pass the dipping sauce at the table. Enjoy!

LACQUERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the honey, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and paprika in a small bowl. Set half of the mixture aside.
• Season the interior cavities of the chickens with some salt and pepper, and stuff each with 1 juiced lemon half, 2 sprigs of rosemary and half a head of garlic. Put the chickens on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, brush them with half of the honey mixture and roast for 30 minutes.
• Remove the chickens from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325º degrees F. Brush the chickens with most of the remaining honey mixture and return them to the oven, making sure to rotate the pan. Cook for another 30 minutes, brush them with the remaining honey mixture, and cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes more. Rest the chickens 10 minutes, carve, and serve.

SPICY LACQUERED CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Rinse the wings, pat dry, season lightly with salt and put them in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, five-spice powder, cayenne and orange zest, then pour over the wings and massage well. Let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate (overnight is fine) and bring to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the wings in one layer in a low-sided baking dish or roasting pan (or use 2 pans) and place on middle shelf. Every 8 to 10 minutes, brush the wings with the marinade from the pan, adding 3 or 4 tablespoons water to dissolve the juices as necessary. Continue until well browned, glazed and cooked through, about 40 to 45 minutes. The wings may be cooked ahead and reheated if desired.
• Pile the wings on a warm platter. Quickly assemble the garnish. In a small bowl combine the cucumber, scallions, chiles, crushed peanuts and sesame oil. Season with salt, toss lightly and scatter over the wings. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Surround with orange slices and serve.

LACQUERED SAIGON CHICKEN ON A BEER CAN

Steps:

• Make the marinade: Place the soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, garlic, coriander, five-spice powder, and cinnamon in a large nonreactive bowl and whisk to mix.
• Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the chicken and set aside for another use.
• Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities.
• Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towls.
• Place the garlic and ginger in the main cavity of the chicken.
• Place the chicken in the bowl with the marinade or place the chicken and marinade in a large resealable plastic bag.
• Let marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, turning the bird several times so it marinates evenly.
• Pop the tab off the beer can.
• Pour half of the beer over the soaking wood chips or chunks, if using or reserve for another use.
• Make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can and set aside. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard marinade.
• Hold the bird upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the cavity.
• Pull the chicken legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the bird stands upright.
• The rear leg of the tripod is the beer can.
• Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chickens back.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium.
• If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center.
• If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks, if using, in the smoker box or a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
• When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all the wood chips on the coals, stand the chicken upright in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat.
• Cover the grill and cook the chicken until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 180F), about 1 1/2- 1 1/2 hours.
• If using a charcoal grill, you need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour.
• If the chicken skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
• Using tongs, hold the bird by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter. Present the bird to your guests.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift it off the support.
• Take care not to spill the hot beer or othewise burn yourself.
• Halve, quarter, or carve the chicken and serve with Spicy Peanut Sauce (you can buy it at the store or make from scratch).

PEACH-LACQUERED CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• With motor running, drop garlic into a food processor and finely chop. Add ginger and finely chop.
• Add preserves, soy sauce, water, and red-pepper flakes and pulse until sauce is combined.
• Line bottom and sides of a large 4-sided sheet pan with foil and lightly oil foil.
• Pat wings dry and put in sheet pan. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pour sauce over wings and toss to coat, then spread in 1 layer.
• Broil wings 4 to 6 inches from heat 5 minutes, then turn over and baste with sauce from pan. Continue to broil, rotating pan and turning and basting 3 more times, until chicken is cooked through and browned in spots, 20 to 25 minutes.