TDG: Desperate Measures: Chicken and Peppers

[Fat Guy]

Mamster makes chicken breasts cool and manly.

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[SWoodyWhite]

Personally, I'd rather use chicken thighs than chicken breasts for a recipe like this. I think the thighs have more flavor.

That and, um, I just bought a whole tray of thighs at a good bargain price and I've been wondering about different ways to use them. *grins sheepishly*

Edited May 15, 2003 by SWoodyWhite (log)

[Jinmyo]

Bah. Thighs.

[johnjohn]

Mamster - how long do you brine the chicken breasts in the Pollo con Rajas

recipe?

johnjohn

[mamster]

Obviously, substitute thighs if you want. I've been known to. I still like the idea of serving chicken breasts and making people wonder, "How come the chicken breasts at mamster's house taste so much better?"

By the way, I think I forgot to mention it in the article, but this particular brine formulation came from Cook's Illustrated, with some modifications by me. And you're right, I forgot to mention how long to brine them. Half an hour is fine.

[Suzanne F]

I'm curious: what's the purpose of the milk/cream in the rajas?

[Jinmyo]

Matthew, Bah. That's like saying you stir chipotles, minced roasted garlic, and coriander into the Cheez Whiz so people will say, "Wow, mamster's Cheez Whiz isn't quite as vile."

Very nice article though.

[mamster]

Jinmyo, why don't you tell me what you really think?

Suzanne, it makes the rajas a bit more like a sauce rather than just a pile of peppers. Not that there's anything wrong with a pile of peppers--feel free to omit the milk/cream if you like.

[Jinmyo]

Jinmyo, why don't you tell me what you really think?

I always will, dear heart.

[jeniac42]

Is it really any better to waste the entire top half of a chicken the way a lot of people waste the whole bottom half? The breasts grow on the chickens, so you might as well have a way to make them edible.

[Fat Guy]

I like chicken breasts.

[col klink]

Phew! You actually brined the chicken, very good. Have you tried brining the breast with and without the vinegar? There's almost no difference in the taste but there is a not so subtle difference in texture; the vinegar adds a distracting rubbery component.

Of course even with the vinegar these breasts are going to taste 10 times better than a standard breast. I'm coming to the conclusion that Jinmyo doesn't brine, she doesn't like turkey either.

[Jinmyo]

Is it really any better to waste the entire top half of a chicken the way a lot of people waste the whole bottom half?  The breasts grow on the chickens, so you might as well have a way to make them edible.

Sure. Make stock. Or shred them into a soup with wonderful mushrooms.

Or off the top of my head, puree them with chicken livers, hearts, and giblets and other chicken offal; brown, drain, mix in some minced garlic and herbs, mould into croquettes, bread, fry. Serve with haricot vert or knotted and fried Chinese long beans and a sharp soup.

Or smoke them. Great with chopped avocado, chipotle paste, and watercress in a sandwich.

Otherwise they make great food fight items.

Or just leave them. People buy more orf them than any other part of the chicken.

[Jim Dixon]

We rarely eat just breasts, but do buy a lot of whole chicken, and the breast is just sort of there. So I brine, too.

I'm with the klinkster when it comes to simplified brine. Based on our earlier brine threads, I use 1/4 cup kosher salt to 4 cups water. With this less salty brine, you can leave the chicken (breasts, thighs, or the whole damn thing) in the brine overnight or all week.

Jim

ps...brined some rabbit hindquarters this week...but that's another thread

[nightscotsman]

Hey, I've been trying to read this article (and a few others) all morning, but my browser refuses to connect using the link above or any of the links on the Daily Gullet. Just spins it's wheels saying "resolving host egullet.com...". Is it me or is there something funky with the server? I can read all of the threads in the forums just fine.

Edit: Turned out it was me. Sorry.

Edited May 15, 2003 by nightscotsman (log)

[bilrus]

I like chicken breasts.

You're not alone FG.

[Schielke]

Chicken breasts are a great source of protein. I eat them all the time.

Frankly, I have trouble with chicken thighs. They end up all slippery and with gobs of chicken fat between the muscle. They might have more flavor, but are a pain in the ass to eat.

Ben

[col klink]

You're not cooking them right then. Done properly, the fat (read: flavor) with render out. Grilling is not the best for thighs, long slow braises and smoking is where it's at.

[Schielke]

I usually end up with them like this when I roast a chicken. They are fully cooked, but there are these pieces of fat deep inside them that dont go anywhere. I dont see how these could render when roasting.

[col klink]

Try quartering your bird first, roast at 450 ~ 500 F and pull the breasts when done, and bring the oven down to 350 while leaving the legs in.

edit: This will also give you the opportunity to get that gorgeously crisped skin on the legs as well as the breast a la Le Pichet.

[Schielke]

I will give this a try next time, thanks.

mmmm, le pichet.

[Jim Dixon]

Grilling is not the best for thighs

I beg to differ, o salty one.

I'll brine (of course) boneless, skinless thighs (Jin: Gah!), then grill them quickly over a hot fire. They're thin enough to cook quickly, and they get a nice crispy char even without the skin.

Jim

[Anna N]

So, Mamster, I didn't make the chicken breasts but, while out looking for peppers for another recipe, I found some poblanos (a rare, rare happening here in the 'burbs of Toronto) and so I grabbed them and made the "sauce". I served it on the side with a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and REVENGE WAS SWEET! Last night The Dane complained that the zucchini stuffing for a chicken was "a bit bland". No such complaints tonight! Thanks!

Anna N

P.S. I have little experience with fresh hot peppers - my hands are still burning - live and learn!

[Jinmyo]

Anna, that sounds very good.

[SWoodyWhite]

Suzanne, it makes the rajas a bit more like a sauce rather than just a pile of peppers. Not that there's anything wrong with a pile of peppers--feel free to omit the milk/cream if you like.

I've heard that dairy can help tame the capsaicin in chilis, but this may be an old wive's tale. Or old husband's tale, depending on the teller.

And thanks for the pork idea, Anna! I've got a couple of loin chops brining right now.

I just had another thought: the poblano/onion/milk mixture would also be very good as a puree. I think I'd want to use white onions in that case, both to keep the color a nice green and for a sweeter flavor; yellow or red onions would dull both.

Edited May 16, 2003 by SWoodyWhite (log)