Ginger-Marinated Chicken Tenders
EASIER
GLUTEN-FREE
Makes 6 servings as snacks or 3 as a light meal
By putting ginger through the press, you can make a concentrated ginger juice, terrific on chicken tenders. Mince the fresh ginger before pressing it so that you can press out as much juice as possible.
¼ cup peanut oil
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1½ tablespoons granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 pound chicken tenders
Nonstick spray
Vegetable oil for the grate or grill pan
1. Whisk the oil, vinegar, and sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves.
2. Put half the ginger into a garlic press and squeeze the juice into the oil mixture. Discard the solids in the press and squeeze the rest of the ginger into the bowl. Stir well, add the chicken tenders, and toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
3. Brush the grate clean, brush it with nonstick spray, and prepare the grill for direct, high-heat cooking; or brush a nonstick grill pan with oil and set it over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the tenders and grill, turning once, until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve at once.
To make pork tenders using this technique, start with a 1-pound pork tenderloin. Slice it widthwise into three even segments. Stand these up and cut each lengthwise into quarters. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour in the fridge. When ready to grill, slide a few cubes onto each of a handful of bamboo skewers, leaving space between each cube. Grill for about 7 minutes, turning a couple of times.
Voilà! Use a small serving spoon to remove the peel from fresh ginger by turning the spoon upside down and digging gently along the surface of the skin to remove the papery bits. If the ginger is very fresh—say, with just the hint of a watery peel, the sort usually found at Asian supermarkets—there’s no need to peel it at all.