Eye for a Recipe

I’m always on the lookout for recipes that call for chicken thighs. They are moist, tasty and usually much cheaper than chicken breasts. This recipe from the June 2011 issue of Canadian Living calls for skinless, boneless chicken thighs, but I think it would also work well with skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

The chicken is tossed in an Asian-inspired marinade, grilled, and basted for the last few minutes until it is glazed. It is served with a delicious cucumber salad that takes no time at all to make.

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, use fresh lime juice, tamari sauce and sesame oil without artificial ingredients. Rice vinegar is used in the salad dressing; I prefer the flavour of Marukan seasoned rice vinegar.

Ingredients:

Chicken

1/4 liquid honey
2  tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp sodium-reduced tamari soy sauce
1  tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp toasted sesame seedstoasted sesame seeds

Cucumber Salad

1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp liquid honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced diagonally
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Preparation:

In large bowl, combine honey, lime juice, tamari sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger; remove 3 tbsp and set aside. Add chicken to bowl, turning to coat; marinate for 10 minutes.

Cucumber Salad: Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, sesame oil, hot pepper flakes and salt. Add cucumber and mix until coated; set aside in refrigerator.

Place chicken on greased grill over medium heat; close lid and grill, turning once and brushing with reserved marinade in final 2 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 10 minutes.

Stir green onions into salad. Sprinkle sesame seeds over salad and chicken. Serves 4.

From the June 2011 issue of Canadian Living