Spicy Coconut Chicken Thighs Recipes

CRISPY FRIED COCONUT CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl. Add tenderloins. Place in the refrigerator to soak for 1 to 2 hours.
• While chicken soaks, prepare egg coating by whisking together eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
• Prepare dry coating by pulsing coconut in the bowl of a food processor until it resembles large bread crumbs. Add almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and chili powder. Pulse to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Remove chicken from milk mixture; discard mixture.
• Dip each chicken tender in the egg mixture, then in the coconut coating, pressing generous amounts into the meat.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Gently drop coated chicken into the hot oil and fry until golden and no longer pink in the centers, working in batches, about 6 minutes per side. Place fried pieces in the oven to keep warm between batches.

SPICY COCONUT CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, cook chicken until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate (chicken will cook more in step 2).
• To pot, add coconut milk, broth, 1/2 cup water, and curry paste; bring to a boil, and stir in rice. Add chicken (with any juices), arranging pieces in a single layer. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, without stirring, until rice is almost tender, 15 minutes.
• Scatter bell peppers and green beans on top of chicken mixture; cover, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

SPICY CHICKEN COCONUT CURRY

Steps:

• Heat the Ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and cook slowly until the onions are very soft, about 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste, Curry Powder, cinnamon stick, and chiles and give it a good stir; season with salt and pepper. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock and bring it back to a simmer; cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken, cilantro, and half the lemon juice; continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and mint leaves.
• Put the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Melt the butter slowly and make sure it does not sizzle or brown. Increase the heat and bring the butter to a boil. When the surface is covered with foam, stir gently and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Gently simmer, uncovered, and undisturbed for 45 minutes, until the milk solids in the bottom of the pan have turned golden brown and the butter on top is transparent. Strain the ghee through a sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth. The ghee should be perfectly clear and smell nutty; pour into a glass jar and seal tightly.
• Toast the coriander, cumin, cardamom, peppercorns, fennel, mustard, cloves, and the chiles in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat just until they smell fragrant, about 2 minutes. In a clean coffee grinder or spice mill, grind the toasted spices together to a fine powder. Add the turmeric and give it another quick buzz to combine. Use the curry powder immediately, or store in a sealed jar for up to 1 month.

COCONUT BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Defrost spinach in microwave.
• Spread rice in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
• Add coconut milk and chicken broth.
• Sprinkle with vinegar, oil, and spices.
• Add chicken pieces. Using chopsticks, turn pieces to coat with coconut milk mixture.
• Use chopsticks to distribute spinach throughout casserole.
• Cover baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until rice is tender, chicken is no longer pink, and most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Notes: Ume plum vinegar is found in specialty stores. It's very sour and salty. If it's not available, use any good flavored vinegar and add salt to taste with the spices. This is delicious served with a squeeze of lime juice and a simple "salad" of diced fresh tomatoes, lightly salted.

SPICY SMOKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Stir together smoked paprika, chili powder, gochugaru, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a small bowl.
• Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and sprinkle liberally and evenly with seasoning mixture. Transfer to a large plate or baking sheet.
• Open the bottom vent of a grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes. When briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour them onto bottom grate of grill, and then push to 1 side of the grill. Place 3 to 5 oak wood chunks on top of hot coals. Coat top grate with oil; place on grill. Maintain internal temperature at 225 degrees F (107 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place chicken thighs, skin-side up, on the oiled grate of the preheated grill, over the side without coals. Cover and smoke until chicken is deep mahogany in color and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 2 hours. Remove chicken thighs from grill and transfer to a large platter.
• Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.