what we had for dinner tonight

[stephanieb]

Moroccanish Chicken Things

2 tblsp butter
3 or 4 green onions, green parts only, sliced
2 or 3 cloves minced garlic
1 tblsp grated ginger
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 lb chicken thighs, trimmed (the cat will enjoy the fatty gristley bits you cut off. Mine ate enough for

Comments

[tlunquist]

Chicken absorbs flavors well - especially dark meat, which is already flavorful because of the extra fat. (Dark meat has more B vitamins in it too, so you can pretend it's better for you even if you've bought into the whole "fat is bad" myth.)

The trick is to marinate it. Use all those yummy spices to make a dry rub; apply to skinless chicken thighs, seal them up in a plastic bag and let them sit for a few hours in the fridge. If you want better penetration, you can use something acidic (for that flavor profile, lemon or orange juice or white wine might be nice) along with a little oil -- basically make a vinaigrette dressing.

I actually marinate chicken in an orange juice bath (think cups not tablespoons) and get outstanding results. The simplest version is OJ (about two cups), the juice of one lime, a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon each of garlic powder and ground black pepper. will handle up to 2 lbs of chicken pieces and is divine on the grill. This would probably also work with all the extra spices.

As for cutting up chicken, yes, it's time consuming, but as jenx says, don't get carried away making itty bitty pieces. You might try cutting it into strips first, then subdividing the strips if you feel they are too big.