Smashed Chicken Recipes

SMASHED CHICKEN BURGERS WITH CHEDDAR AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• In a small serving bowl, combine the mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon mustard. Season to taste with salt and the juice of 1 lime wedge.
• In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine 1 cup parsley with the grated cheese, shallot, garlic, cumin and red-pepper flakes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the Dijon mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken and gently combine. Form into 4 large, round balls.
• Heat a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high until very hot, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the neutral oil or ghee, then add the chicken meatballs, spacing them out in the pan. Use a metal spatula or the back of a wooden spoon to press them until they form 1/2-inch thick patties. Cook without moving for 3 to 4 minutes, until a deep golden crust has formed on the bottom and they easily release from the pan. Flip the patties using a sturdy spatula and cook until cooked through with a nice crust on both sides, about 3 minutes more. If the patties need more time, you can cover the pan and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to avoid scorching. A minute or two before they're done, set 2 slices of Cheddar cheese on top of each patty to melt.
• While the burgers are cooking, in the bottom of a serving bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons lime juice with the remaining 1 teaspoon mustard; whisk in the olive oil until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Add the torn lettuce leaves, avocado, remaining parsley and cubed Cheddar, and toss to coat with the dressing.
• Place the burgers on the buns, slather with Dijon mayonnaise, and top with a little of the greens and avocado from the salad. Serve with the salad, plus the lime wedges and any remaining Dijon mayonnaise on the side.

FLAT ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove; discard or reserve for broth, if desired. Open the chicken's legs and spread the bird down flat, skin side up. Press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten. Pat dry with paper towels; season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast-iron, over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add chicken, skin-side down, to skillet. Let brown without moving, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken, taking care not to break the skin; transfer skillet to oven.
• Roast chicken until golden brown and cooked through or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 165 degrees. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and remaining tablespoon butter to pan, swirling to combine; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and pinch of salt. Cut chicken into pieces and serve immediately drizzled with olive oil mixture and pan sauce.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH SPINACH AND SMASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium saucepan, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season chicken with salt, pepper, and thyme. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until golden and crisp, 5 minutes. Flip, then add shallots; cook until chicken is browned, 5 minutes. Flip shallots, then transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 15 minutes.
• Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water from potatoes. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Add 2 teaspoons oil, lemon zest, and reserved cooking water; season with salt and pepper and roughly mash.
• Transfer chicken and shallots to a platter and heat skillet over medium. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and garlic and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Gradually add spinach, and toss until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve chicken with shallots, potatoes, and spinach.

SMASHED CHICKEN WITH CORN SLAW

Steps:

• Cut the chicken breasts in half, then put them between two sheets of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin to flatten. Mix the lime zest and juice with the yogurt, thyme, turmeric, coriander and garlic in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir until well coated. Leave to marinate while you make the slaw.
• Mash the avocado with the lime juice and zest, 2 tbsp yogurt and the coriander. Stir in the corn, red pepper, onion and cabbage.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan or griddle pan, then cook the chicken in batches for a few mins each side - they'll cook quickly as they're thin. Serve the hot chicken with the slaw and the new potatoes. If you're cooking for two, chill half the chicken and slaw for lunch another day (eat within two days).

CHICKEN AND SMASHED POTATO

Steps:

• Combine the chicken and brine in a large container and refrigerate for 8 hours. Remove the chicken, reserving the brine, then pound out or use a meat tenderizer. Return the chicken to the brine and refrigerate for another 8 hours.
• Heat the frying oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and combine with the buttermilk and Buffalo Sauce in a large bowl until evenly coated.
• In three different bowls, place the all-purpose flour, eggs and buttermilk whisked together and the Chicken Flour. Take 2 of the chicken breasts from the marinade and dredge in the all-purpose flour until completely coated. Transfer to the egg mixture and coat until you don't see any flour. Transfer to the chicken flour and dredge. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
• Press down on each Baked Potato until the skin breaks and it is about 1 1/2 inches high.
• Fry 2 pieces of chicken at a time in the oil until the chicken is cooked, about 7 minutes, adding a baked potato to each batch around the halfway point. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and potatoes.
• To serve, place a fried smashed potato in the center of a large bowl, top with some Green Beans, add 2 fried chicken breasts on top at a 90-degree angle. Pour some Caramelized Onion Cream Sauce on top. Top with shaved green onions (if using).
• Combine the water, brown sugar, salt, key lime juice, orange juice, sea salt, ginger, thyme, rosemary and 1/2 cup salt in a large pot. Stir until the sugar and salts completely dissolve, then bring to a low boil and boil gently for 5 minutes. Add the ice and stir. about 16 cups
• Combine the hot wing sauce, hotter wing sauce, chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric and blazing hot wing sauce in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring slowly until the mixture reduces and thickens just a bit, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the butter and orange juice concentrate and stir until combined.
• Stir together the flour, paprika, salt, pepper, chili powder, coriander, cumin, basil, dry ground mustard, sage, thyme, ginger, marjoram, oregano and 1/3 cup iodized salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. This will keep, tightly covered, for 2 weeks.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat the potatoes with salad oil and top with a dash each of salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate overnight.
• Blanch the green beans in 1/2 gallon water combined with 1 tablespoon kosher salt until they become bright in color. Cool in an ice bath, then drain and set aside.
• Heat the clarified butter and salad oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, then the garlic and sweat until the shallots start to become translucent. Add the green beans, seasoned sea salt and some white pepper and toss to coat. Continue turning for about a minute or so until the pan becomes hot again. Do not let the shallots and garlic brown.
• Deglaze with the wine and let simmer for no more than 30 seconds. Add the Basil Butter and turn off the heat. Turn and stir the beans until the butter is melted and emulsified with the wine. Set aside until ready to plate.
• Sweat the garlic and shallots in the olive and salad oil in a small skillet until translucent. Transer to the bowl of a mixer and add the butter, pesto, basil leaves and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix until fully incorporated. Transfer the butter to a large piece of plastic wrap and roll into a tube shape. Wrap in parchment paper and continue to compress the tube. Refrigerate overnight. This is a great compound butter for many uses and will hold in the refrigerator for a few weeks if sealed properly.
• Sauté the onions in a medium pot with clarified butter and salad oil until caramelized. Add some sugar if the onions are overly wet and do not caramelize to the appropriate color. Add the garlic and stir for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pot with white wine and add 1 or 2 pinches of salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the heavy cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about 10 percent, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter and emulsify completely with an immersion blender until the sauce is as smooth as gravy.

SMASHED AVOCADO-CHICKEN BURGERS

Steps:

• In a small serving bowl, combine the mayonnaise and soy sauce. Season with the juice of 1 lime wedge and salt as needed.
• In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to mash and thoroughly combine the chopped cilantro, mashed avocado, scallions, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of the soy-lime mayonnaise. Add the chicken and gently combine. Form into 4 large balls.
• Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot, 1½ to 2 minutes. Add the neutral oil or ghee, then add the chicken meatballs, spacing them out in the pan. Use a metal spatula to press them until they form ½-inch-thick patties. Cook without moving for 3½ to 4 minutes, until a deep golden crust has formed and they easily release from the pan. Flip the patties using the spatula and cook until done with a nice crust on the other side, about 3 minutes more. If the patties need more time, cover the pan and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to avoid scorching.
• Squeeze a lime wedge over the patties and serve sandwiched between the buns topped with lettuce, a healthy slathering of the lime-mayonnaise, avocado slices, jalapeño slices if using, and cilantro sprigs, if desired. Serve with the remaining lime wedges and mayonnaise on the side.