Grilled Chicken Thighs

with Carolina Rice, Peas, and Carrot Barbecue Sauce

Makes 4 servings

This dish started with the creamy, risotto-like rice, which is an excellent side or vegetarian main course (if you use vegetable stock) on its own. I use Carolina Gold rice, a long-grain variety that has been grown in the American Southeast since the colonial days. I cook it like pasta in plenty of simmering liquid, but use a seaweed-infused chicken stock instead of water to pack it with as much flavor as possible. The carrot barbecue sauce that glazes the chicken thighs is a riff on the Carrot-Hazelnut Romesco, but made without nuts and with the addition of coffee beans, which add a deep, toasty flavor.

Pickled Carrots

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into sticks (long enough to fit your jar)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 small dried red chile
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Place the carrots in a sterilized pint-size jar and add the spices, chile, and bay leaf. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil. Pour over the carrots and let cool to room temperature. Seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 2 days before using.

Carrot Barbecue Sauce

Makes about 2½ cups

• 3 cups carrot juice
• 3 cups white wine vinegar
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1½ tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1½ teaspoons mustard powder
• ¼ cup crushed coffee beans
• 2 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil
• ½ medium white onion, thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
• Strips of zest from 1 medium lemon

In a medium saucepan, combine the carrot juice, vinegar, sugar, spices, and coffee beans. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Clean out the saucepan, add the sunflower oil, and heat over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the strained carrot juice mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half. Transfer to a blender along with the lemon zest and blend until very smooth. The sauce can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

Infused Chicken Stock

makes about 6 cups

• 6¼ cups chicken stock
• Two 6-by-8-inch sheets kombu
• Strips of zest from 1 large orange
• Strips of zest from 1 medium lemon
• 2 Thai green chiles, split lengthwise
• 1½ tablespoons thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

In a medium saucepan, combine the stock and kombu and bring to a boil. Combine the remaining ingredients in a heatproof bowl and add the hot stock and kombu. Cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Carolina Rice

• 6 cups Infused Chicken Stock
• 1 cup Carolina Gold long-grain rice (we use Anson Mills brand)

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, add the rice, and cook until the rice is tender with a little bit of bite, about 8 minutes. Drain the rice, reserving about 2 cups stock.

For Serving

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Carrot Barbecue Sauce
• 2 cups cooked Carolina Rice, plus reserved chicken stock
• ½ cup English peas (blanched if fresh)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced ramp bulbs or scallion whites
• 1 cup sliced ramp leaves or scallion greens
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• ½ lemon, for juicing
• ¼ cup chopped Pickled Carrots
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced mint
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Prepare a medium-hot grill or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grate. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and grill, skin side down, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brush the top with the barbecue sauce. Continue grilling and brushing with sauce, turning the chicken over every few minutes, until nicely charred and glazed and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and let rest.

While the chicken rests, combine the rice and 1 cup reserved stock in a large saucepan. Bring the stock to a simmer and add the peas, ramp whites and leaves, lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add the pickled carrots, parsley, and mint and season to taste with salt. Transfer the rice to a platter, top with the chicken, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

The Takeaway

Any time I’m cooking something in liquid, whether it’s water or stock, I treat it as an opportunity to impart more flavor to a dish. I often use kombu as an infusion because the dried kelp adds lots of umami without making the liquid taste seaweed-y. You can play around with the ingredients you use for your infusion, but typically you want some herbs, citrus peels, and a touch of heat from aromatic chiles.