From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Asian Seared Chicken Thighs with Pineapple Slaw…served with Peanut Sauce
CATEGORY: Main Event
SERVES: 4
LEVEL: Presto, easy!
INGREDIENTS:
4 Chicken thighs
2 Tbsp The Amazing Rub (or Brown Sugar w/Ginger)
1 Tbsp vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Hot Sauce
1 Tbsp Lemon/or Lime Juice
2 Cups Fresh Pineapple bite size chop
SLAW INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp The Amazing Rub (or Brown Sugar)
4 C Coleslaw mix (your favorite) or fine Shred Cabbage and Carrots
½ C Dried Fruit/Nut Trail Mix (no choc!)
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Oil (light here)
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
½ Tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil to finish
Fresh Herbs as in Cilantro, Mint or Basil – fine chopped or 2 Tbsp dried Basil or Amazing Herbes
PEANUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
½ C Peanut Butter smooth
¼ tsp Pummull Spice (or Cinn blend)
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Rice Vinegar (or white)
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ C hot water (start with 1/8 C and add to desired consistency)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare Chicken thighs by skinning, deboning and cutting into small strips. In a large bowl add chicken, Amazing Rub, oil, soy sauce, hot sauce and citrus juice (lemon or lime). Toss to coat the strips of chicken and set aside for 15-30 minutes or cover and refrigerator overnight.
Drain Chicken from marinade before searing. Get a skillet hot with oil, and place chicken pieces in skillet, do not over crowd, looking to sear these and create a nice golden brown surface on all side. Remove chicken that is cooked thru (no pink in centers) and continue to cook all chicken, set aside on warm plate. In same pan as cooked chicken, add a little more oil and cook the chopped, drained pineapple looking to toss coat and brown (add a little sprinkle of Amazing Rub to season and brown)
Assemble the Slaw with Cabbage/Carrot mix, ½ C Trail Mix, and toss dress with lime juice, oil, soy sauce, hot sauce- when all coated, finish with a drizzle of Toasted Sesame Oil if desired.
Place a cup of dressed Slaw in center of each serving dish, top with seared pineapple and lastly with chicken strips. Can be garnished with a little more trail mix, or chopped basil or Herbs as noted.
The Peanut Sauce recipe above is delicious as a side dressing to use in the entire plated salad or for a dressing for the chicken. This is so very packed with flavor, and you’ll be shouting “encore”. I have found that a prepared plated salad with all ingredients is also delicious to refrigerate (cover with wrap) and do a quick 1 minute warm in micro. Enjoy!!!