Per Your Request

I have had several people ask me for my Chicken Teriyaki & Coconut Chicken Soup recipes so I thought I would share them with my loyal readers. ...all 3 of you. ;) This is one of Brad's favorites so I prepared both of these recipes this afternoon.

Both of these recipes are renditions of America Test Kitchen classics. For those of you that have never seen the Cooks Country show on PBS or the Cooks Illustrated books/magazines, I highly recommend them! They test every recipe until its perfected. I have slightly modified the 2 below to be even more perfect (in my eyes...um, I mean mouth).

Let me know what you think!

Easy Chicken Teriyaki -

8 small bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (I got 10 small thighs at Kroger for $4.31! I like to remove the bones ahead of time so you don't have to worry about them while you are eating the meal, but you can leave them in if you'd prefer. )
pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp mirin (Japanese cooking wine), sherry, or white wine (I had sherry so I used that)
2 tsp grated fresh ginger (i've made it with & without the ginger. Both are equally good.)
1-2 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Season the chicken with pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
Add the chicken skin side down. Weigh the chicken down with a heavy pot. Cook until the skin is a deep mahogany brown & crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until 175 degrees, 5-10 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, whisk the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, ginger, garlic, cornstarch & pepper flakes together.

Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off the fat from the skillet. Whisk the sauce to combine and add it back to the pot. Return the chicken to the pot & simmer on medium. Spoon the sauce over the chicken while simmering until the sauce is thick (2-5 minutes). Transfer to a serving plate and serve with rice. Enjoy!


Thai Cocunut Soup -


This soup is one of my all-time favorites and several people have told me it's better than the local Thai restaurants. If you can't find fresh lemongrass in your supermarket, you may be able to find it in the herbs that are in 'squeeze tubes', near the produce section. I have found it there before. I have also made this soup without the lemongrass and its still really good but the lemongrass adds that unique 'Thai' flavor. I have consistently found lemongrass at Whole Foods.

6-8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course

1	teaspoon vegetable oil
3	stalks lemon grass , tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
3	large shallots , chopped
8	sprigs fresh cilantro leaves , chopped coarse
3	tablespoons fish sauce
4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
2	(14-ounce) cans coconut milk , well-shaken
1	tablespoon sugar
1/2	pound white mushrooms , cleaned, stems trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1	pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts , halved lengthwise and sliced on bias about 1/8-inch-thick pieces
3	tablespoons fresh lime juice from 2 to 3 limes
2	teaspoons red curry paste (Thai)
Garnish
1/2	cup fresh cilantro leaves
2	serrano chiles , sliced thin
2	scallions , sliced thin on bias
1	lime , cut into wedges

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add lemon grass, shallots, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, 2 to 5 minutes (vegetables should not brown). Stir in chicken broth and 1 can coconut milk; bring to simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors have blended, 10 minutes. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer and discard solids in strainer. Rinse saucepan and return broth mixture to pan.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir remaining can coconut milk and sugar into broth mixture and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove soup from heat.

Combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce in small bowl; stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, chiles, and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges