FIONA’S GREEN CHICKEN

After pestering my crazy-awesome chef sister for a Paleo marinade recipe, she finally relented and sent me the secret formula for her go-to, Thai-inspired, green herb marinade. This stuff is truly phenomenal—and not just on chicken.

Makes 6 servings		1 medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
Hands-on time: 15 minutes		1¼ cups packed fresh basil
Total time: 2 hours		1 cup packed fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
		¼ cup packed fresh mint
		3 garlic cloves, peeled
		¼ cup Paleo-friendly fish sauce
		2 tablespoons apple juice
		1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
		½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
		Finely grated zest from 1 medium lime
		3 pounds skin-on chicken drumsticks or thighs
		2 limes, cut into wedges

DO THIS:

1. In a blender, purée the onion, basil, cilantro, mint, garlic, fish sauce, apple juice, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, and lime zest. The mixture should be thick and smooth, with no chunks. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
2. Place the chicken in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Pour in the marinade and squeeze out the air in the bag before sealing. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to a day.
3. Take the chicken out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking so it can come up to room temperature. Remove the chicken from the bag.
4. If oven-roasting: Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the middle position. Then, place a wire rack atop a foil-lined rimmed baking tray. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping the bird (ha!) at the midpoint.
5. If grilling: Arrange the marinated chicken on a medium-hot grill and cook for about 25 minutes, turning every 5 to 7 minutes.
6. The chicken’s ready when the internal temperature reaches 170°F or when the juices run clear. Serve with lime wedges.

Instead of using the green stuff as a marinade, try drizzling it in soups or on grilled meats!

 

 

CHICKEN NUGGETS

No, I’m not talking about processed hunks of fried pink slime served up in fast food containers. Instead, we’re making nuggets from pieces of whole breast meat, brined for maximum juiciness and fried in healthy fats. These crispy chicken pieces are the perfect finger food for anyone who loves eating with their hands.

Makes 6 servings		6 cups water
Hands-on time: 20 minutes		6 cups water
Total time: 1 hour		1 cup ghee or fat of choice, for frying
		1 cup tapioca powder or arrowroot powder
		4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2½ pounds), cut into ½-inch-thick nuggets
		Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt (optional)
		½ cup Sriracha Mayonnaise, Lemon Honey Sauce, Honey Mustard Dressing, Avocado + Basil Dressing, Paleo Ranch Dressing, or Louisiana Rémoulade

DO THIS:

1. Mix the water and salt in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Seal and agitate it to dissolve the salt. Add the chicken to the brine and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. When you’re ready to cook, melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure there’s enough oil to reach halfway up the chicken pieces.
3. Remove the chicken from the brine and blot dry with paper towels. Put the tapioca or arrowroot powder in a shallow bowl, and coat each piece of chicken in the powder, shaking off any excess.
4. Once the oil’s hot and shimmering, fry the chicken until crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain off any extra oil. If desired, sprinkle on some fleur de sel while hot, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce(s).

 

 

JUICY LEAN MEATS: NOT AN OXYMORON!

All too often, chicken breast and other lean cuts can turn out dry and powdery. The key to firm, juicy, savory chicken? Brining. Soaking lean poultry or pork in a salt water solution reshapes the protein molecules in the meat, keeping it plump and moist throughout the cooking process. Brining also breaks down the structural integrity of the meat, resulting in greater tenderness. Try it!

 

  The best way to reheat cold nuggets is to fry 'em again. They may crisp up even crunchier than the first time!

MAGIC WINGS

Hosting a party? Want to serve finger food that’s easy to prepare yet packed with umami? This recipe fits the bill. If you have time, marinate the chicken for a few hours in advance of cooking—but if you’re expecting guests within the hour, these wings will taste magical even if you’re making them to order.

Makes 6 servings		4 pounds chicken wings
Hands-on time: 10 minutes		2 tablespoons Magic Mushroom Powder
Total time: 1 hour		½ teaspoon Paleo-friendly fish sauce (optional)
		Melted ghee
		2 small limes, cut into wedges

DO THIS:

1. Toss the chicken wings with Magic Mushroom Powder (and if desired, fish sauce) in a large bowl, making sure to evenly distribute the seasoning. Cover and marinate the wings in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
2. A half-hour before serving, take the wings out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 425°F with the rack in the middle position. (Got a convection bake setting on your oven? You can set it to 400°F on convection bake for this recipe.) Place a wire rack on top of a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. You’ll likely need to cook the wings in two batches, so if you have two trays, use ’em.
3. Grease the rack with melted ghee, and arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Be careful not to overcrowd the wings. Bake for 15 minutes, and then flip the wings and rotate the tray. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the skins are crisp, taut, and golden brown.
4. Plate and serve with lime wedges.

Prepare this dish with thighs for an easy weeknight meal! Just cook for 15 minutes more, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 170°F.

Dip these wings in Sriracha Mayonnaise!

 

CRISPY SMASHED CHICKEN

So you’ve had a long, stressful day, and no clue what to make for dinner. But you have chicken breasts in the fridge, right? Believe it or not, you can easily transform that cold poultry into hot, crispy paillards in 30 minutes or less. Plus, you can release your pent-up rage by going medieval on the chicken. Win-win!

Makes 4 servings		4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
Hands-on time: 30 minutes		½ cup coconut flour
Total time: 30 minutes		1 tablespoon kosher salt
		½ teaspoon garlic powder
		Freshly ground black pepper
		2 tablespoons ghee or fat of choice, plus more as needed
		2 limes, cut into wedges (optional)
		2 cups Spicy Pineapple Salsa or Salsa Roja Asada (optional)

DO THIS:

1. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the chicken and place it between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment. Then, hulk out and smash the breasts with a meat pounder, rolling pin, or small cast-iron skillet until the chicken is uniformly flattened into ½-inch-thick paillards.
2. In a large bowl, mix the coconut flour, salt, garlic powder, and a few grinds of pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, and pat off any excess.
3. Heat the ghee over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron skillet until it’s shimmering.
4. One at a time, fry each chicken breast in the skillet, letting it cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes before flipping. Then, cook the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the exterior is crisp and golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack, and tent it with foil while you fry up the remaining pieces.
5. Slice up the paillards, and serve with lime wedges and your favorite salsa.

 

"Paillard" is a fancy French culinary term that describes a piece of meat that's been thinly sliced or pounded to facilitate quick cooking. It's fun to throw big words around! 

 

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN + GRAVY

Ever try to prepare a whole chicken in the slow cooker? With most recipes, the bird winds up overcooked, stringy, and dry. Super icky—but not with this recipe. This preparation will yield a moist, tender chicken and a thick, savory gravy. Serve it for supper, and everyone will lick their plates clean. Plus, you’ll finally get to show off that awesome gravy boat that your mom gave you.

By the way, the fish sauce is optional, but trust me: it adds a ton of umami to this dish. Omit it at your peril!

Makes 4 servings		2 tablespoons ghee or fat of choice
Hands-on time: 30 minutes		3 large leeks, white parts only, chopped medium
Total time: 6 hours		6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
		1 teaspoon tomato paste
		Kosher salt
		Freshly ground black pepper
		½ cup chicken stock
		1 (4-pound) whole chicken
		1 tablespoon dried poultry seasoning or dried herb blend of choice
		1 teaspoon Paleo-friendly fish sauce (optional)

DO THIS:

1. Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the fat starts to shimmer, add the leeks and garlic and cook for a few minutes or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Cook until the aromatics are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock and transfer the cooked vegetables to a slow cooker.
3. Pat the chicken dry, and season well—both inside and out—with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Place the chicken breast-down in the slow cooker, and if desired, add the fish sauce. Place the cover on the slow cooker, and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, depending on the size of the bird. The smaller the chicken, the less time is required.
4. When the chicken’s done cooking, transfer it to a platter and tent it with a piece of foil. Rest it for 20 minutes.
5. In the meantime, defat the cooking liquid. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Transfer the liquid and vegetables to a large measuring cup, and use an immersion blender to purée the contents. The result? A thick, rich gravy.
6. Once the chicken’s rested, place it on a cutting board and break it down. (Better yet, just rip it all up with your hands like a true caveperson.) Pile all the juicy, tender chicken pieces on a platter and serve it with the gravy.

 

CHEW ON THIS:

• Don’t leave the bird in the slow cooker for more than 6 hours unless you enjoy eating powdery, dessicated chicken. And don’t set the slow cooker to “high” in an effort to save time, either.
• Save some gravy and store it in a sealed container in the fridge for a week (or in the freezer for a few months). It’ll come in handy for everything from Loco Moco to Thanksgiving dinner.

Waste not, want not: save the chicken bones to make Bone Broth! 

 

PERUVIAN ROAST CHICKEN
+ AJI VERDE CHILI SAUCE

Makes 4 servings | Hands-on time: 30 minutes | Total time: 8 hours

 

My childhood best friend, Evelyn, was born in Peru—but as kids, we were much more interested in the craptacular contents of our school’s vending machines than the South American dishes her mom would make. So it wasn’t until decades later that I finally had a taste of Peruvian-style roast chicken at a San Francisco restaurant. A paste of garlic and spices had been rubbed both under and over the crisp, golden-brown skin of the chicken, giving the tender meat a hint of tartness and smoke. I was hooked.

Making authentic Peruvian chicken at home, however, posed a few challenges. First of all, I don’t have a rotisserie. (My kitchen’s already overflowing with gadgets; one more appliance and my neat-freak husband will keel over.) Secondly, I don’t have easy access to the Peruvian black mint known as huacatay—a distinctively flavored Andean herb used to make the luscious green aji verde chili sauce that traditionally accompanies the roast chicken.

But I can never resist a challenge.

The solution to the rotisserie problem was simple: I’d spatchcock the bird before oven-roasting it. Spatchcocking sounds dirty, but it simply means removing the backbone and butterflying the bird to ensure that the breasts and thighs will cook to juicy perfection at the same time.

Finding common ingredients to replace the huacatay was tougher, but after some research and taste-testing, I found that a mix of fresh basil, cilantro, and mint produces a remarkably similar perfume and herby notes.

My recipe for homemade Peruvian chicken takes a bit of pre-planning and patience, but it’s a cinch to prepare and yields a juicy and intensely flavorful meal. Paired with the cool, tangy contrast of the aji verde chili sauce, this dish will be one that you’ll want to make—and devour—again and again.

Besides, it sure beats soda and chips from my high school’s vending machines.

 

GET:

Aji Verde Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 scallion, roughly chopped
½ cup Paleo Mayonnaise
⅓ cup fresh basil
⅓ cup fresh cilantro
⅓ cup fresh mint
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar

 

Peruvian Marinade
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons melted ghee or fat of choice
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Finely grated zest and juice from 1 small lime

 

1 (4-pound) whole chicken

 

DO THIS:

1. To make the aji verde chili sauce, gently heat the olive oil and garlic in a small cast-iron skillet over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Once the garlic is fragrant and the oil bubbles, take the skillet off the heat and turn off the stove.
2. Blitz the remaining aji verde chili sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender until well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary. Then, add the garlicky oil and blend until smooth. The sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.
3. To make the marinade for the chicken, mix together all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. (This probably goes without saying, but always zest before you juice.) As the ghee in the mixture cools, the marinade will firm up and form a thick paste (unless you’re cooking someplace really warm, where ghee never solidifies—in which case I hope you have something cool to drink.)
4. Next, spatchcock the bird. Using kitchen shears, cut out the backbone of the chicken by making parallel cuts along each side of the spine. (Save the backbone to make Bone Broth later.) Open up the bird like a book, and lay it breast-side down. With a sharp knife, make a ½-inch incision in the cartilage of the breast bone, and firmly press down with your hands to flatten the chicken. The splayed-open chicken should now look like the facehugger from Aliens.
5. Flip the bird (tee hee!) over, and use your fingers to gently separate the skin of the chicken from the breast and thigh meat to create pockets, making sure not to tear any holes. Spread the marinade under the skin, and rub it all over the outside of the chicken, too.
6. Marinate the chicken in a covered container in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours.
7. About an hour before you cook the bird, take it out of the refrigerator and bring it up to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 400°F and place the rack in the upper-middle position. Set a wire rack on top of a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, and place the chicken skin-side up on the wire rack. Tuck the wing tips behind the breasts.
8. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes or until the breast meat reaches 150°F and the thigh meat hits 170°F as measured by an instant-read thermometer. Take the chicken out of the oven and rest it for 10 minutes before carving.
9. Serve with the aji verde chili sauce on the side.

Spatchcock, spatchcock, SPATCHCOCK! I love that word. 

EVERYTHING tastes better with aji verde chili sauce: from meat and fish to salads and soups! 

 

 

 

SLOW-ROASTED DUCK LEGS

When it’s cooked properly, roast duck is sublime, with thin, crackling-crisp skin and moist, fork-tender meat. This slow-roasted duck is infused with bright, peppery aromatics, and it’s a cinch to prepare. Just give the marinade ingredients some time to intensify the flavors of the meat, and pop these duck legs in the oven for a comforting seasonal dish. Serve it up with an autumn salad, and you won’t be disappointed.

Makes 4 servings		4 duck legs
Hands-on time: 20 minutes		1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Total time: 2 days		2 strips lemon peel, each approximately ½ inch by 2 inches (use a vegetable peeler!)
		10 whole black peppercorns
		6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
		4 fresh thyme sprigs
		½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
		1 tablespoon duck fat or fat of choice

DO THIS:

1. Rub the duck legs with salt, and place them skin-side down in a shallow dish. Place the other ingredients except for the duck fat on top of the duck. Cover and marinate the legs for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.
2. When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300°F with the rack in the middle position. Melt the duck fat, and use it to grease a baking dish.
3. Place the duck skin-side up in the dish, with the aromatics from the marinade tucked underneath the duck. Don’t worry about crowding the duck—it should be a fairly snug fit.
4. Roast the duck legs in the oven for 2 to 3 hours, or until the fat under the skin has rendered, the legs are golden brown, and the meat is tender.
5. Discard all the aromatics except for the garlic cloves, which can be served with the duck. If the legs aren’t browned to your liking, melt some more duck fat in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and fry the legs for a few minutes until the skin’s golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

Serve this with a simple salad of watercress and frisée, seasoned with salt and pepper, and tossed with Citrus Vinaigrette!