Chicken Thighs

[SobaAddict70]

Are these skinless and boneless, Monica?

Hey! There can only be one Queen of Skinless and Boneless Chicken Breasts at any one time. I'd be happy to take that mantle off your shoulders.

Monica, you could also try making coq au vin. (And when I make this, I prefer thighs WITH skin and bone. ::GASP:: )

Cheers,

Soba

[Monica Bhide]

Stupid question of the day: what wine do you recommend to cook coq au vin. Indian cooking rarely uses any alcohol to cook so I am a novice in this department

[Sandra Levine]

Thighs are my favorite chicken piece. Leaving the skin on or taking it off, you try brushing the thighs with Dijon mustard mixed with a little Worcestershire sauce and a few drops of any hot sauce, coating with bread crumbs and sauteing in half butter, half vegetable oil. This dish is called devilled chicken.

[davidscooking]

You might try that French peasant classic, chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, made entirely with thighs. You can use this recipe, using about 4# of thighs:

http://www.davidscooking.com/recipes/chick...chick40clv.html

[rozrapp]

Stupid question of the day: what is wine do you recommend to cook coq au vin. Indian cooking rarely uses any alcohol to cook so I am a novice in this department

Monica, As I used to tell my students, there is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people who don't know enough to ask.

While I think I've seen a recipe for coq au vin using white wine, most recipes use red. Since coq au vin is considered a Burgundian dish, many prefer to use a good Burgundy. But I sometimes use a Cote du Rhone, or even a Merlot. Actually, whatever my husband -- the wine buyer in our household -- happens to have available at the time I'm making the recipe. I have recently made a truly excellent version which I found in an issue of the Wine Spectator a few months ago. I don't think it's on their web site, but I can provide it for you if you like.

[Suzanne F]

what is wine do you recommend to cook coq au vin.

If you DO use white -- which is perfectly acceptable, even classic -- Riesling works quite well. We are fond of Dr. Konstantin Frank Jonnisberg Riesling, from the Finger Lakes in NY state. Lots of flavor and very reasonable price. (Found it at dinner with Jason and Rachel at Gage and Tollner last year )

Since you don't have much experience cooking with wine: Whatever you use, don't cook with anything you couldn't drink. That is, don't just buy something cheap; the taste of the wine WILL make a difference, and bad wine will make a bad dish. (I once ruined a beef stew with a bottle of Michigan wine that smelled like mucilage )

[nerissa]

I am with you on the boneless chicken breasts... I used to live off them many years ago...now, shudder. Can we have a shudder icon?

I stole this from the NY Times, but you marinate thighs (I like to use whole legs) in a blended mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, zest, thyme, and ginger. I add paprika after marination and pop into the oven for about 45-55 minutes.

Easy as pie. Great with bitter greens and garlic.

[Robin Meredith]

Here's a fun one I tried few weeks ago:

Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken

Saw the legendary Frank Pellegrino (aka Frankie No) from Rao's prepare this with Martha one night. Amazingly enough, he really seems to know his way around a kitchen. The recipe itself is great - one of those pure Italian-American classics that makes you realize that this really is a viable cuisine in it's own right.

The recipe calls for a whole cut-up chicken - I made it that way the first time and quickly concluded that thighs were the way to go (the breasts just weren't all that attractive). I've got a package of thighs thawing out in the fridge as we speak, just waiting to make this again!

[scamhi]

CHICKEN WITH TWO VINEGARS

Here's another vinegar chicken recipe that is great with skinless and boneless thighs.

Poulet au vinegar

8 chicken thighs

flour

olive oil

4 garlic clove, chopped

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped

4-5 anchovy filets, chopped

3/4 cup of good quality red wine vinegar

1-2 tbl butter

fresh parsley

flour thighs lightly

Saute in olive oil until browned on both sides

remove from pan salt and pepper chicken

wipe out pan

add 2-3 tbl fresh olive oil to pan and saute garlic, then rosemary and anchovies until garlic is golden and rosemary is fragrant

Add chicken and any chicken juices back into pan

turn to coat with garlic

add red wine vinegar turn heat down to simmer and cover pan

cook for 20 minutes

sauce should be brown color and reduced

add butter and parsley

[torakris]

I love chicken thighs and breasts!

They require completely different applications but both can be truely wonderful!

I rarely prepare thighs the same way twice, but I was planning to put some recipes in the archives today and when i do I will post the links here.

I love all of the other ideas as well and plan on giving some a try.

some quick favorites:

Thai curry

chicken thighs cubed with a variety of vegetables all sautted to togehter add a can of coconut milk, some prepared Thai curry paste and simmer for a couple minutes. If you have some lemon grass, kaffir lime leaf, ot Thai basil throw it in as well.

chicken with a teriyaki glaze

make the sauce with 1/3 cup soy, 1/3 sake, 1/3 mirin and 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar, place all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil and then simmer it (strong simmer) for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened, let cool. This makes about 1 cup and can be kept in the refrigerator for a while.

Saute boneless thighs until almost done, then wipe most of the oil out of the pan with a paper towel and pour in the sauce, turning the pieces until well glazed, serve either whole or true Japanese style, sliced before serving. Pour over the remaining sauce.

[fifi]

Simon... Are green peas the same as what you refer to as "garden peas"? That dish sounded so good I went to the store and bought the stuff to make it.

I do skinless thighs with lots of garlic cloves, preserved lemon, olive oil and white wine. You brown the chicken in the olive oil, add the other ingredients and bake at about 325 until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the garlic is squishy. For 4 big thighs use about 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup wine and as much lemon and garlic as you want. We take the meat chunks off the bone and serve with rice. Leftovers are great for lots of uses... (salads, sandwiches in pita bread, etc.)

[Wimpy]

Monica- here's my version of Chicken Adobo, a Filipino staple dish and not to be confused with any sort of Mexican adobo.

Ingredients

1) chicken thighs (one US size giant pack is good) about 12+thighs with skin intact

2) 3-4 whole garlic heads, separated into cloves & peeled

3) vinegar (malt, apple, white is OK, although orig. is made from sugar cane)

4) black peppercorn- I'd say 10-12

5) bay leaf (dried) I'd say 4-5

6) soy sauce (kikkoman or other japanese type is more refined)

7) salt

Preparation

1) wash thighs, pat dry with paper towel

2) peel all the garlic cloves (yes, it's a lot), and bang them abit with flat of knife blade to release the oils/juices (but don't mush), leave a few whole (not bashed)

3) salt the chickens rather generously on each side

4) in large (Rubbermaid) plastic container, line up the thighs and throw in all the garlic, you can layer the thighs, 2 or 3 levels deep

5) pour in vinegar, about 1 -1.5 cups

6) pour soy sauce, about 1/2 cup

7) pour in cold tap water until thighs are submerged

8) throw in bay leaves and peppercorns

9) snap on the lid for container, carefully give it a nice shake so the marinade mixes well

10) bung into refrigerator overnight or up to three days (like i do)

To Cook:

1) Dump entire content into large stainless steel pot (avoid aluminum coz of the vinegar)

2) Bring contents to a boil, then reduce to a gentle boil, a bit above a simmer. I'd say up 30-40 minutes. There is not much finesse required, thighs should be cooked through, but skin should not be too shriveled up or separated from the meat. Quite a lot of fat is rendered from the skin, skim from surface and set aside.

3) Take pot off flames, and separate out the chicken thighs and the garlic. Reduce the sauce down a bit more (maybe to about half the depth, but not too much else becomes too salty).

4) Meanwhile, using a non stick frying pan, fry the thighs skin side down with some of the rendered chicken fat (or use corn oil). Until skin gets crisp. Turn over and fry briefly on other side. Do this for all of thighs and set aside.

5) Take the garlic cloves (which were cooked along with the thighs) and fry them until crunchy on outside. They are kinda mushy at this stage but it should fry (watch out for oil splatter). Set aside.

6) In bowl, place chicken thighs, pour reduced sauce and put fried garlic on top.

Serving Suggestions:

1) Filipinos will eat this with plain steamed rice (not long grain, but the Asian stickier type) accompanied by some green vegetable dish.

2) Pour sauce (which should NOT be thick like demi glace or anything) over the rice.

3) Adobo tastes great even as a leftover (i.e. flavor matures in fridge). It also keeps for quite a long time, as it is confit-like (with fat sealing the chicken in container and the sauce gelatinizing)

There are gazillion variations to this, some mix it with pork. Many do not take the extra step to separate out and fry, but this is what my dish is known for and lends it an added texture which the traditional one does not have.

Caveat: I always wing measurements (eg. the vinegar and water and salt)- one reason I suck at baking. So the measurements above are estimates. The vinegar taste is definitely there but should not overwhelm. It should be mellowed out by the dilution with water and interaction with salt and soy and a kind of sweetness (umami?) lent by the cooked garlic. Why both salt and soy? I find the saltiness of salt and that of soy are different in character. Also, the soy lends an appetizing golden tint to the thighs, but careful not to overdo both or it becomes way too salty.

Edited April 9, 2003 by Wimpy (log)

[sparrowgrass]

Scamhi, made your vinegar chicken last night--yum, and leftovers for lunch, too!

Wimpy's adobo is next.

[Oreganought]

Thighs are a favorite of mine as well.I did stuffed thighs Sunday which turned out pretty good.

Debone the thighs and leave the skin on,pound and flatten a little.

Heat a pan and add some oil,I used olive oil,add some shallots and shredded

mushroom,I happened to have some shiitake and oyster and saute

for a few minutes add garlic and cook a few more minutes.I added some

cracked black pepper and some dried cherries and prunes that I reconstituted

in some sherry and a few tsps of white wine vinegar,deglazed with the

sherry marinate added some rosemary and thyme,it's what I had.Then

reduced until almost dry,added some bread crumbs that I made fresh and then dried in the oven,seasoned the mixture and let it cool down.

Spread the mixture on the thighs,rolled them up and tied.In a hot pan I seared on all sides until nicely browned,in a 375 oven until cooked.

After removing the pan from the oven I removed the thighs to rest and

poured out the fat then deglazed with white wine,reduced added some

chicken stock,more herbs and reduced,seasoned the jus,touch of lemon

a little butter off the heat and tasted pretty good with the thighs.I cut the thighs into medallions,and had mashed potatoes and asparagus.Finished off the bottle of wine with dinner.Done for another day.

[bigbear]

.. wow, wonder how many people will write and say I am nuts

I am nuts.

[jamesmarsh]

Monica, I cook chicken thighs all the time, but rarely stray from this (very) simple method:

Fit the thighs snugly into an ovenproof dish. Add plenty of olive oil, the juice of a lemon and salt and pepper. i usually throw in the squeezed lemon halves as well.

Roast for about forty minutes, adding a few whole, unpeeled, garlic cloves halfway through.

What you should end up with is juicy meat topped with crisp brown skin, sitting in a pool of chickeny, garlicky, lemony juices.

While the chicken rests for a few minutes i spoon the juices on to a pile of salad leaves and then sit the thighs on the top. The garlic should have roasted to a gooey mush which can be popped from its skin and spread on to the chicken/into the salad.

Thats it!

OK, its not much of a recipe but someimtes simple is best...

[Ron Johnson]

We are fond of Dr. Konstantin Frank Jonnisberg Riesling, from the Finger Lakes in NY state.

Suzanne,

I like this wine very much as well. Dr. Frank has another label called Salmon Run that is quite good. There are several other producers of Riesling from the Finger Lakes that are worth looking into. I love these wines with Thai, Indian, and Chinese cuisine.

[Monica Bhide]

Monica-  here's my version of Chicken Adobo, a Filipino staple dish and not to be confused with any sort of Mexican adobo.

Ingredients

1) chicken thighs (one US size giant pack is good) about 12+thighs with skin intact

2) 3-4 whole garlic heads, separated into cloves & peeled

3) vinegar (malt, apple, white is OK, although orig. is made from sugar cane)

4) black peppercorn- I'd say 10-12

5) bay leaf (dried) I'd say 4-5

6) soy sauce (kikkoman or other japanese type is more refined)

7) salt

Preparation

1) wash thighs, pat dry with paper towel

2) peel all the garlic cloves (yes, it's a lot), and bang them abit with flat of knife blade to release the oils/juices (but don't mush), leave a few whole (not bashed)

3) salt the chickens rather generously on each side

4) in large (Rubbermaid) plastic container, line up the thighs and throw in all the garlic, you can layer the thighs, 2 or 3 levels deep

5) pour in vinegar, about 1 -1.5 cups

6) pour soy sauce, about 1/2 cup

7) pour in cold tap water until thighs are submerged

8) throw in bay leaves and peppercorns

9) snap on the lid for container, carefully give it a nice shake so the marinade mixes well

10) bung into refrigerator overnight or up to three days (like i do)

To Cook:

1)  Dump entire content into large stainless steel pot (avoid aluminum coz of the vinegar)

2)  Bring contents to a boil, then reduce to a gentle boil, a bit above a simmer.  I'd say up 30-40 minutes.  There is not much finesse required, thighs should be cooked through, but skin should not be too shriveled up or separated from the meat.  Quite a lot of fat is rendered from the skin, skim from surface and set aside.

3) Take pot off flames, and separate out the chicken thighs and the garlic.  Reduce the sauce down a bit more (maybe to about half the depth, but not too much else becomes too salty).

4) Meanwhile, using a non stick frying pan, fry the thighs skin side down with some of the rendered chicken fat (or use corn oil). Until skin gets crisp.  Turn over and fry briefly on other side.  Do this for all of thighs and set aside.

5) Take the garlic cloves (which were cooked along with the thighs) and fry them until crunchy on outside.  They are kinda mushy at this stage but it should fry (watch out for oil splatter). Set aside.

6) In bowl, place chicken thighs, pour reduced sauce and put fried garlic on top.

Serving Suggestions:

1) Filipinos will eat this with plain steamed rice (not long grain, but the Asian stickier type) accompanied by some green vegetable dish.

2) Pour sauce (which should NOT be thick like demi glace or anything) over the rice.

3) Adobo tastes great even as a leftover (i.e. flavor matures in fridge). It also keeps for quite a long time, as it is confit-like (with fat sealing the chicken in container and the sauce gelatinizing)

There are gazillion variations to this, some mix it with pork.  Many do not take the extra step to separate out and fry, but this is what my dish is known for and lends it an added texture which the traditional one does not have.

Caveat:  I always wing measurements (eg. the vinegar and water and salt)- one reason I suck at baking.  So the measurements above are estimates.  The vinegar taste is definitely there but should not overwhelm.  It should be mellowed out by the dilution with water and interaction with salt and soy and a kind of sweetness (umami?) lent by the cooked garlic.  Why both salt and soy?  I find the saltiness of salt and that of soy are different in character.  Also, the soy lends an appetizing golden tint to the thighs, but careful not to overdo both or it becomes way too salty.

Sounds awesome, I will make it this weekend and let you know how it turns out

[vengroff]

Here is Wimpy's recipe for Filipino Chicken Adobo as it appears in the eGRA.

[Ruth]

I am not a huge fan of chicken breasts.... get dinged whenever I say that. I just do not like them.. find the thighs to be more moist and tasty .. wow, wonder how many people will write and say I am nuts

Nol you are not nuts. I buy whole chickens, break them down and vacuum pack the parts. After a couple of months I find I have half a dozen chicken breasts in the freezer. They are so boring. I either cook them Chinese style or sous vide very very slowly (I learned that from Rocco DiSpirito) and then sauté lightly to keep them juicy in the center. With a good pan sauce they are ok that way but still not my favorite dish.

Ruth Friedman

[Malahini]

I'm surprised no one suggested fried chicken! To remedy that, here's one, sort of. I don't make this too often, for obvious health-conscious reasons, but it's probably no worse, cholesterol-wise, than delivered pizza (which I don't do anymore either). Also, a caveat: the measurements might have to be adjusted, since I don't really measure when making it.

----

4-6 chicken thighs

1 egg

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1/2 cup bread crumbs (for best results, throw leftover pieces of an old baguette into the blender or food processor; otherwise, store-bought is okay)

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon dried chervil (optional)

1 Tablespoon minced fresh or (1/4 teaspoon dried) parsley (optional)

1 cup grated Swiss cheese

2 Tablespoons butter (more as needed)

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (more as needed)

Trim the skin and excess fat from the thighs. Debone.

In a shallow bowl, mix egg and sherry, beat with fork.

In another shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs with spices, then add Swiss cheese. Mix well.

Heat butter and oil in skillet over medium heat. Dip chicken in the egg mixture, then coat with the cheese mixture. Cook 8-10 minutes per side.

[Monica Bhide]

I often saute whole, bone-in, skin-on thighs in butter, and finish them in the oven.  Then, I remove the thighs from the pan and throw in a handful or two of minced shallots.  After a moment or two, when the shallots are soft, I add a cup of white wine vinegar, and a half cup of water and reduce it a bit.  When the sauce is a consistency I like, I add salt and pepper to taste as well as a tablespoon or two of butter. Stir the sauce well, and serve it over the thighs with minced parsley to garnish.  I think I stole this from Mark Bittman, who credited someone else with the idea, but, in any event, it's a great quick meal.

I DID IT!! Made this just the way you suggested. It was awesome. It took eery ounce of willpower I had not to add red chili, turmeric, cumin... anything spicy to the dish.. I almost gave in.

I am glad I did not. The chicken was perfect -- crisp and brown on the outside. Very moist!!

Now I am off to try Jinmyo's suggestion and the one Suzanne made using wine..

I will definately let you all know how it turns out

and thank you for expanding my horizons!!!!

[eatingmike]

Got this recipe from Smoke & Spice...

Marinate chicken thighs overnight in plain yogurt, lots of chopped fresh mint, and a healthy pour of Bourbon

Grill (or smoke) over medium heat until done. Very easy and delicious.

And perfect for Derby weekend (match to the mint juleps)

[Katherine]

I treat thighs and breasts the same way:

Skin and bone them, pound to about 3/8" between two sheets of plastic wrap. Sprinkle with salt, freshly ground pepper, and red pepper (or your choice of dry rub. Saute in a blend of extra-virgin olive oil and butter (crushed garlic optional). Breasts will cook quickly and absorb more fat, making them as tasty and moist as the thighs. If you grill, brush with oil first.

[birder53]

I like this wine very much as well.  Dr. Frank has another label called Salmon Run that is quite good.  There are several other producers of Riesling from the Finger Lakes that are worth looking into.  I love these wines with Thai, Indian, and Chinese cuisine.

I just disovered Salmon Run at Wegman's. Love the Riesling! You're right about the Fingerlake wines going well with Thai food. I have a bottle of the Dr. K that is chilling right now. Didn't realize Salmon Run was the same producer.