This one-skillet stovetop dinner has a quick marinating process and a fast final glaze that is fantastic. The heat of the jalapenos is nicely controlled by the honey, which keeps the spice level to a pleasant warmth. The cumin lends an earthy flavor, and the lemon juice brings brightness to the balance. This recipe, which also includes garlic, delivers great nutrition, too.
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May you eat and read with joy!
~ Cleo Coyle, author of
~ Cleo Coyle, author of
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Cleo Coyle has a partner in
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Honey-Chili Chicken
My husband and I inhale this dish when we make it. It's fast, easy, full of very healthful ingredients, and delivers delectable flavor.
It also uses the most common chili pepper in America, the humble jalapeno. Hot peppers are incredibly good for you. They contain capsaicin, which has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body. Studies have shown hot peppers also improve circulation and brain function and release endorphins, which make us feel good.
The good news is that even a milder hot peppers, like the popular jalapeno, delivers great health benefits, so you don't have to eat anything as hot as, say... the Carolina Reaper (pictured below), which currently holds the world's hottest pepper title from the Guinness Book of World Records.
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| The Carolina Reaper (world's hottest pepper!) Photo by Dale Thurber, courtesy Wiki Commons [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)] |
Q. What is the hottest pepper in the world?
A. The Carolina Reaper, created in
South Carolina by cross-breeding
two very hot parents, and, no, today's
recipe does not require that
you use one!
Cleo Coyle's Sticky
Honey-Chili Chicken
Makes 6 chicken thighs
INGREDIENTS:
2 Jalapeno chili peppers, chopped and divided*
10 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 Tablespoons
6 chicken thighs, skin on
1 teaspoon coarsely ground sea salt (or kosher salt)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup honey (any kind will work, but we suggest a raw local honey)
*Note: When working with jalapenos or any hot pepper, take care not to touch your eyes or you’ll feel the burn. Wash hands after handling. Also, make sure you discard all of the seeds and the white pulp, which is where the less pleasant heat hides.
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1 - Make the Fast Marinade: Cut 1 of your 2 jalapenos in half, remove the seeds and chop the flesh. Place the chopped jalapenos in a re-sealable plastic bag. Wash hands well. Mince 5 of your 10 garlic cloves. Place the minced garlic in the bag and measure in the cumin, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and lemon juice. Shake the bag well to blend.
Step 2 - Chicken in the Bag: Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Salt and pepper both sides and place the pieces in a plastic bag. Seal the bag and gently shake it, upside down and back and forth, manipulating the chicken inside to make sure the pieces are well coated. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
Step 3 - Brown the Chicken: Place your ¼ cup of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, heat on stovetop at medium-high. When the oil is very hot, place the thighs skin side down and cook for 8 minutes, or until the skin is browned. Flip the thighs over and reduce the heat to medium until the thighs are cooked through, this will take about 20-25 minutes. (Do not cover the pan at any time.)
Step 4 - Glaze and finish: While the chicken cooks, mince the remaining 5 cloves of your garlic, and chop the final jalapeno (after removing the seeds). Mix these in a small bowl with your 1/3 cup of honey and thin this glazing mixture slightly with 1 or 2 tablespoons of chicken pan drippings. When the thighs are ready, turn the heat back up to medium-high and pour the honey-garlic-jalapeno glazing mixture over the chicken. Cook 5-7 minutes more, uncovered, until the mixture reduces to a savory sauce, and...
To download this recipe in a free PDF document that you can print, save, or share, click here!
Keeping your culinary cool!
Did you know dairy is the only substance that neutralizes a chili burn?
If your mouth is on fire, don't reach for water, reach for milk or yogurt or ice cream. And, of course, a sour cream dollop is a delightful addition to
many highly spicy meals.
Q. Why does dairy soothe a pepper burn? Will coconut milk, nut milks, or soy milk work?
A. Chemically speaking, capsaicin in peppers binds with lipoprotein receptors on the tongue, which causes the pepper burn. Drinking water does not help because capsaicin doesn’t dissolve in water. The most effective cure is mammal's milk because it contains casein, a substance which acts on capsaicin the same way soap cuts grease. But it must be mammal’s milk because coconut milk, other nut milks, and soy milk do not contain casein.
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