Seoul-ful Chicken with Minted Cucumber
| Prep Time: 30 min | Serves: 4 |
| Cooking Time: 15 min | Yield: 4 entrées |
Category Finalist, Entrées. "My family loves Asian food, and I enjoy its vivid flavors and colors. This is my spin on Korean grilled chicken with a speedy kimchi-type accompaniment. I prefer using chicken thighs for this dish because they are juicier and tastier than boneless breasts. This dish is simple enough for an after-work dinner but scrumptious enough for guests." —Janice Elder, Charlotte, North Carolina
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups English Cucumber
- 1/4 cup Kosher Salt
- 1/4 cup Shallots
- 2 tbsp Fresh Mint
- 1 tbsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Clover Honey - Grade A
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1/4 tsp Organic Ground Cayenne Red Pepper
- 1 tsp Pepper, Serrano
- 1 1/4 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Dark Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger Root
- 1 tbsp Clover Honey 24oz
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 3 Garlic Clove
- 1/4 cup Green Onion
- 4 tsp Sesame Seeds
Directions
**Notes before starting**
**Some ingredients are listed 2x as the top 9 ingredients in the list (from 'cucumbers' to 'serrano pepper' are for the cucumbers, the remaining 9 ingredients ('chicken thighs' to 'sesame seeds') are for the chicken part of the meal. There is no easy/clear way to make this separation with the current Daily Plate interface, sorry.**
*Ginger should be minced.
*Serrano should be seeded and minced.
*Shallots should be minced*
*Green onions should be thinly sliced.
*Cucumber should be peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced.
*Garlic cloves should be thinly sliced or minced, your preference.
*Fresh mint leaves should be medium or fine chopped, your preference.
*Lightly toast sesame seeds in a dry pan before you begin, it'll only take about 30 seconds or so (if that.)
*Toasted Sesame oil = Dark sesame oil. I was having issues with the interface. Sorry.
*You can use regular cucumbers, just remember to cut them lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with a spoon (rather like seeding a cantaloupe.)
*If you can't find seasoned rice wine vinegar, regular rice wine vinegar will do.
*If you don't have/want red pepper, feel free to use a tsp of Sriracha pepper sauce instead. (I personally prefer to use it since I feel it has more depth of flavour than just red pepper)
*Feel free to omit the serrano if you don't want it too spicy.
*Feel free to use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs. I use packages of chicken tenders as they allow me to skip the pounding part of Step 2). They're small and narrow enough that they cook just as fast as flattened thighs would.
*You can use minced garlic from a bottle, instead of fresh garlic, if that's what you have on hand.
*In step 1, if you're in a hurry, skip the instruction that says 'let stand 5 mins) and, instead, wrap the cukes in papertowel and squeeze as much water out as you can. I like the texture better this way, I hope you will too.
*Finally, feel free to use a Foreman Grill (or similar electric grill) if that's what you have (or if it's too nasty out to use the outdoor grill). The chicken will cook faster, though, if the grill elements are on top AND bottom, so remember to keep an eye that you don't burn and/or overcook/dryout the chicken.
Preparation
1. To prepare cucumbers, place cucumber slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt, tossing well. Drain 1 hour. Place cucumber slices on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Combine cucumber, shallots, and next 6 ingredients (through chile) in a large bowl; toss gently. Cover and set aside.
2. To prepare chicken, place each chicken thigh between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to soy sauce mixture in bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.
3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 4 thighs in pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 thighs. Place 2 thighs and 1/2 cup cucumbers on each of 4 plates; sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon green onions and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.