Mexican Flavored Chicken Thighs By Mark Bittman Recipes

MEXICAN SMOTHERED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, seasoned salt, salt and pepper. Place milk in a separate shallow bowl. Coat chicken with flour mixture, then dip in milk and coat again with flour mixture., In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil in batches. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , In the same skillet, saute onion and jalapenos until tender. Add the tomato sauce, water and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Pour over chicken., Cover and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°-175°. Freeze option: Place cooled chicken with sauce in freezer containers and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered skillet, gently stirring; add a little broth or water if necessary.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CUMIN, CAYENNE AND CITRUS

Steps:

• Preheat a gas grill, start a wood or charcoal fire or preheat a broiler; the fire should be moderately hot, and the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source.
• Combine the garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cloves, salt, pepper and oil in a blender or small food processor, and blend until fairly smooth. Add the juices, taste and adjust seasoning; the flavors should be powerful.
• Smear sauce over chicken; if time allows, marinate 30 minutes or so. Grill 6 to 8 minutes a side, or until meat is nicely browned and cooked medium or better on the inside. (Thighs with bones will take longer, about 20 minutes total.) Serve, garnished with the cilantro.

VERSATILE MEXICAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Mix the garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper on a wide plate or baking dish. Put chicken thighs on top, then turn them over to coat with the seasoning mix.
• Put the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and cook 7-8 minutes. Turn the thighs over and cook 7-8 minutes longer or until thighs are cooked through.

MARK BITTMAN'S BASIC ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450°F Put the oil or butter in a roasting pan and put it in the oven for a couple of minutes, until the oil is hot or the butter melts. Add the chicken and turn it a couple of times in the fat, leaving it skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and return the pan to the oven.
• After the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, toss about one-quarter of the herb, if you're using any, over it and turn the pieces. Sprinkle on another quarter of the herb and roast for another 10 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over (now skin side up again), add another quarter of the herb, and cook until the chicken is done (you'll see clear juices if you make a small cut in the meat near the bone), a total of 30 to 40 minutes at most. Garnish with the remaining herb and skim excess fat from the pan juices if necessary; serve, with some of the juices spooned over it.
• ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH BLACK BEANS VARIATION: First, soak 2 tablespoons fermented black beans in water, sherry, or wine to cover. In place of the butter or olive oil, use peanut oil or a neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn. Mix together 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 minced scallions, 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar or honey. Drain the black beans and add them to this mixture; thin it to a paste, if necessary, with a little more soy sauce. In Step 1, spread a little of this mixture all over the raw chicken and put the chicken in the roasting pan; return the pan to the oven. Proceed with Steps 2 and 3, using the soy-based mixture for basting in place of the herb mixture.
• MORE VARIATIONS: You can combine these ideas at will; it's hard to go wrong here. Add with the chicken at the beginning of cooking unless otherwise specified. (1) Add a few sprigs of a stronger herb like thyme, sage, oregano, or rosemary. (2) Add several (or many!) cloves of garlic. (3) Add a cup or so of chopped onion, shallot, or leek. (4) Add a cup or so of sliced fresh mushrooms, after the first 15 minutes of roasting. (5) Add a lot of hot dried chiles, a couple of roasted, soaked, and chopped milder chiles, or both. (6) Add 2 or 3 lemons (oranges and limes are good too), cut in half; when the chicken is done, squeeze the hot lemon juice over it. (7) Use peanut oil instead of olive oil and add several slices of ginger and garlic after turning the chicken skin side up again. When chicken is done, drizzle with soy sauce and dark sesame oil, then garnish with scallions and/or cilantro. (8) Use Compound Butter, Flavored Oil, or Vinaigrette from the beginning of the cooking or as a basting sauce during cooking. (9) Rub the chicken with 1/2 cup or so of Pesto or any other herb paste from the beginning of the cooking. (10) Stir in a dollop of grainy French-style mustard when the chicken is done. (11) Add a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes and some black olives after turning the chicken skin side up again. (12) Stir in a cup of any salsa in the last 10 minutes of cooking or spoon on top of the cooked chicken before serving. (13) Stir a couple tablespoons of any curry powder into a cup of yogurt or coconut milk and spoon or brush it on as a basting sauce during cooking.

DEVILED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler to its maximum and set the rack about 4 inches from the heat. Season the chicken on both sides and place it in a pan, skin side up. Broil, watching carefully, until the skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the mustard, shallot, and cayenne. (If you have a small food processor, just throw them in there and pulse the machine on and off a few times.)
• When the chicken has browned, remove it from the oven and turn it. Spread just a teaspoon or so of the mustard mixture on the underside of the chicken and broil for about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and spread the remaining mixture on the skin side. Broil until the mustard begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
• At this point the chicken may be done (there will be only the barest trace of pink near the bone, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat will read 160°F). If it is not, turn off the broiler and let the chicken remain in the oven for another 5 minutes or so. Garnish with the parsley if you like and serve.
• Variations
• For extra crunch, combine the mustard and shallot with about 1 cup bread crumbs. Be especially careful in broiling, for the bread crumbs will burn very soon after they brown.
• For extra flavor, combine the mustard and shallot with about 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (or basil, cilantro, dill, or chervil). Proceed as directed.
• You can use the same coating with pork or veal chops; they should be at least 1 inch thick. Cooking time will be about the same.

MEXICAN-FLAVORED CHICKEN THIGHS BY MARK BITTMAN

Steps:

• Preheat a gas grill, start a wood or charcoal fire or preheat a broiler; the fire should be moderately hot, and the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source. 2. Combine the garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cloves, salt, pepper and oil in a blender or small food processor, and blend until fairly smooth. Add the juices, taste and adjust seasoning; the flavors should be powerful. 3. Smear sauce over chicken; if time allows, marinate 30 minutes or so. Grill 6 to 8 minutes a side, or until meat is nicely browned and cooked medium or better on the inside. (Thighs with bones will take longer, about 20 minutes total.) Serve, garnished with the cilantro.