Recipe adapted from Grilling author Steven Raichlen
Method: Indirect grilling or Oven
1large whole chicken
3TBS spice rub
2bay leaves
½lemon
1can (12 oz) beer or 1 clean can and ½ a beer (or lemonade).
Special Equipment:
1½cups mesquite chips, soaked in cold water to cover for 1 hour and drained. Skip if using indoors in the oven.
Beer can chicken rack.
Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. then drain and blot dry inside and out with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 TBS of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, then rub another 1 TBS all over the skin of the bird.
If you wish, separate the skin from the flesh by running your fingers under the skin over the breasts. Make a small slit on the cavity end and repeat over the drumstick and thighs. Rub another ½ TBS of the mixture between the flesh and skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill/oven.
Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a “church key”-style can opener, make 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Drink half the beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the beer. Crumble the bay leaves into the can. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the can. Place the squeezed lemon half onto the top of the can. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the lemon and beer can into the cavity.
Grill Method: Set up the grill for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan in the center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; then, when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss half the wood chips on the coals. Oil grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird. If using an oven, stand the chicken in a roasting pan. Beer can chicken racks help here and make it easier to separate the chicken from the can once cooked.
Cover the grill and cook the chicken, until fall-off-the-bone tender, 75 minutes to 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining chips after 1 hour.
Oven Method: Preheat to 375°F. Place chicken in oven and roast for 50 – 90 minutes depending on size of the bird. 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh.
Carve & Serve: Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding a large metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving the meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can out, freeze the carcass for stock).
Moo Goo Gai Pan is a Cantonese dish and translates directly to “mushrooms and sliced chicken.” I’m not a fan of bok choy, so I substitute snow peas and bean sprouts. If you prefer bok choy, replace snow peas and bean sprouts with 4 – 5 cups bok choy (washed and cut into 1 inch by 2 inch rectangles).
12oz chicken breast, sliced
3TBS water
1tsp cookingoil (plus 3 TBS, divided)
2tsp cornstarch
salt and white pepper
6thin slices fresh ginger
2scallions (the white portion only, sliced at an angle into ½-inch pieces)
2cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
½cup sliced cremini mushrooms
8oz straw mushrooms (canned, drained and rinsed in warm water, optional)
-or-
8oz white mushrooms, sliced or quartered.
8oz bamboo shoots (canned, rinsed in warm water and drained)
8oz water chestnuts (canned, rinsed in warm water and drained)
4oz bean sprouts
4oz snow peas
1TBS Shaoxing wine
1½cup chicken stock (chicken stock should be hot when added to wok)
¼tsp sugar
1tsp oyster sauce
½tsp sesame oil
1½TBS cornstarch (mixed with 2 TBS water to form slurry)
Marinate chicken:
Place the chicken and 3 TBS of water in a medium bowl. Massage the chicken with your hands until the water is absorbed by the chicken. Next, add the rest of the marinade ingredients: 1 tsp cooking oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of ground white pepper. Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.
Stir-fry chicken:
Heat the wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Coat the perimeter of the wok with 1 to 2 TBS of cooking oil, and spread the chicken in one layer around the wok. Let it sear for 20 seconds. Turn the chicken and let the other side sear for another 20 seconds. Turn the heat off, and transfer the chicken back to your marinade bowl. The chicken should be about 60% done.
Stir-fry veg:
Turn the burner back on to high heat, and add another TBS of cooking oil, along with the ginger slices. Let the ginger infuse the oil for about 10 seconds. Add the scallions and garlic and stir fry for another 15 seconds. Next, add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add the (snow peas and bean sprouts or bok choy).
Return chicken:
Next, add the Shaoxing wine and stir-fry for another minute. Then add the seared chicken slices and the hot chicken stock. It’s important to add hot or even boiling chicken stock to keep the wok up to temperature. Most stove burners at home don’t generate enough heat for a good stir-fry, so this is especially important for home cooks!
Make sauce:
While the mixture is coming to a boil, add about a tsp of salt and a pinch of white pepper, along with the sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Stir until well-combined. Taste the sauce with a spoon and re-season to taste.
Thicken sauce:
Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir, as the water and starch tend to separate, and add slowly to the wok while stirring constantly. You can add more or less slurry, depending upon how thick you like your sauce to be, but don’t over thicken, this is a sauce, not a coating. After a minute, the sauce should be thickened. Serve immediately with steamed rice!
2019: I don’t think I’ve had chop suey since I was a kid. It was time and the urge struck, so here it is. Probably only vaguely resembles the La Choy version that came in a can, but that’s likely a good thing. This was quite good.
Chicken & Marinade
1lb cubed leftover rotisserie chicken
1tsp Shaoxing Chinese wine or dry Sherry
2tsp oyster sauce
2tsp corn starch
Vegetables & sauce
2TBS vegetable oil
2tsp garlic, minced
4celery stalks, sliced thin on sharp diagonal
½bell pepper, sliced thin
3-4scallions, sliced thin, white and green parts separately
12snow peas, trimmed and cut in half on diagonal
¼cup carrots, julienned
8oz bean sprouts
½tsp salt
¼tsp white pepper
1cup chicken broth
2TBS oyster sauce
Slurry
1TBS cornstarch
1TBS water
Preparation:
This cooks fast so you need everything cut, measured and ready to cook before heating the wok or skillet.
Marinate chicken:
Combine chicken, wine, oyster sauce and cornstarch together, marinade for 15 minutes
Make Slurry:
Mix cornstarch and water to form slurry.
Stir Fry:
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add cooking oil and spread around.
Add chicken and garlic to wok. Stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the white section of the green onions, bell pepper, snow peas and carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the bean sprouts, ¼ tsp white pepper, cup of chicken broth and 2 TBS oyster sauce and bring to a light boil.
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a sturdy wide saucepan, and add the mushrooms. Sauté until water evaporates and mushrooms are browned. Set aside.
Melt the tablespoon of butter in the saucepan, and add the chicken breasts.
Brown over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. The chicken should be lightly browned. Remove and discard some of the rendered fat, leaving only 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
Add the wine, carrots, reserved mushrooms, chicken stock, onion, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and boil gently, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and discard the onion. Boil the liquid in the pan until it is reduced to about 3/4 cup.
Meanwhile, whisk together the tablespoon of soft butter and the flour, then pick this mixture up on the looped wires of a whisk, and whisk it into the reduced liquid in the pan until it is smooth. Bring to a boil to thicken the liquid, then add the cream, return to a boil, and boil gently for 5 minutes.
Taste the sauce for seasonings, and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve sprinkled with the chopped tarragon, if desired.
Diced chicken breast is draped in a creamy sauce with green onions and peppers plus tarragon for the finishing touch. Enjoy a delicious, comforting chicken dish as well as a reminder on how to make cream sauce–it’s easier than you thought.
This is an excellent light lunch. Be sure to toast the bread well.
2small or 1 huge chicken breast (12- to 16-oz)
salt to taste
1TBS butter
thinly sliced green onions (the lighter parts)
diced red bell peppers
diced jalapenopeppers
¼cup chicken broth, white wine or water
1½cups heavy cream
2TBS crème fraiche or Greek yogurt, optional
1TBS freshly chopped tarragon
2-4thick slices of toasted bread
Cut the chicken into equal size large slices. Season with salt. Place in a lightly buttered skillet over medium-high heat. Brown for a couple of minutes on each side. It doesn’t have to be cooked through. Remove to plate.
Add green onion and red and jalapeno peppers to pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add a little broth, wine or water. Cook until almost completely reduced. Add cream and reduce to desired thickness.
While sauce is reducing, cube the par-cooked chicken to even sized cubes (about ½ inch).
Add the optional crème fraiche or yogurt and the chicken and cook until the chicken is done (or heated through if precooked).
Season with salt and pepper. Add tarragon, serve over toast.
Notes:
Use any variety and amount of vegetables you prefer. Just be sure the veg are cooked before you add the cream, since once that reduces, your dish is done.
Substitute water or white wine for the chicken broth if desired.
This is a conglomeration of recipes that makes a good pan-fried chicken.
15-lb chicken, (typical supermarket chicken size)
2cups white flour
2tsp salt
½tsp thyme
½tsp basil
½tsp oregano
1tsp celery salt
1tsp dried mustard
2tsp paprika
1tsp garlic salt
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp white pepper
1cup buttermilk (or 4 TBS buttermilk powder blended in 1 cup water)
1large egg
oil (for frying)
Break down the chicken into 10 pieces. I took the breasts off of the bone and then cut them in half. Season chicken well with salt and pepper and leave out at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
Add to a plastic freezer bag, flour and all dry seasonings. Seal bag and shake well to mix.
Whisk egg in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk to bowl and whisk to combine.
Pour oil into a 10″–12″ cast-iron skillet or other heavy straight-sided skillet to a depth of 1/2″. Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°F. Meanwhile, set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet.
Working with 2 to 4 pieces at a time, place chicken in flour bag and shake well to coat pieces. Remove to plate. Repeat for remainder.
Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Add pieces to flour bag. When you have a few pieces in the bag, seal bag and shake well to mix. Remove pieces to a plate or sheet pan.
Place 5 pieces of chicken in skillet. Fry chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300°–325°F, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breast halves.
Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet; transfer chicken to prepared rack.
Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Chicken potpie to go. Very similar to the other hand pies here, but this one is made with store bought puff pastry.
4whole boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 2 lb)
Salt and pepper
Filling:
2TBS butter
1large onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
2small cloves garlic, minced
1tsp chopped fresh thyme
8oz brown or white mushrooms, chopped (about 4 cups)
2TBS all-purpose flour
1cup chicken broth or stock
½cup crème fraîche
6scallions, white and green parts only, chopped
3TBS freshly chopped parsley
Crust:
1sheet (about 10-by-15 inches) frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator
1egg, beaten with 1 TBS water
Prepare chicken:
Heat oven to 375°F. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Chop chicken roughly into 1/2-inch chunks and set aside or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days.
Make filling:
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and chopped mushrooms. Season mixture with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium.
Cook, stirring, until onions have colored slightly and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Add broth and cook, stirring, as mixture thickens. Add chicken, turn heat to low and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in crème fraîche, turn off heat, and set aside to cool. Stir in scallions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble:
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured (or parchment-paper-covered) work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out into an approximate 15-inch square. Use the tip of a knife to cut into 9 equal squares. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture into the center of each piece, then divide any remaining mixture evenly on top, so each has the same amount.
Brush two adjacent edges with egg wash. Pick up and fold the dry corner of pastry over the filling to make a triangular pie. Press and pinch both edges together tightly to seal. Divide on the prepared pans.
Bake:
Brush the tops with egg wash and bake until deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Where do you get these small chickens? I remember my dad, a meat dept manager, mentioning chickens by type, fryer, roaster, stewing, etc. Maybe that is a clue. I looked it up and found the type is an indication of age and weight at time of slaughter. Fryer/broilers are small chickens between 2½ and 4½ lbs. Roasters are typically 4½ to 7 lbs. Stewing chickens are larger and are no longer productive laying chickens.
Local stores in So Cal and CO rarely have anything under 5 lbs. These are basically roasters. The smaller broiler/fryers? I think those all get used up for their in-store rotisserie chickens.
Since I usually can’t find broiler/fryers I have had good success with 5½ lb roasters.
13–4 lb whole chicken, patted dry
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
¼cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, or olive oil
Optional:
1lemon, halved crosswise, seeds removed
1head of garlic, halved crosswise (no need to remove peel)
1bunch of fresh poultry herbs
Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. With chicken breast facing up and legs pointing toward you, use a sharp knife to slice through loose area of skin draped between leg and breast, making about a 3″-long incision. Continue cutting downward until you hit the joint that connects the thigh to the body, then stop (once you get through the skin, there’s not much there; if you are cutting through flesh, you’re too close to the breast). Exposing the leg joint makes it easy to tell if chicken is cooked and encourages hot air to circulate to thickest part of chicken. Repeat on second side. See the picture above.
Season every single surface of chicken, including skin along backbone, cavity, under wings, and inside part of the leg you just exposed, with lots of salt and pepper. If you’re using kosher salt, it should take you 4–5 generous pinches. If using, tuck the fresh poultry herbs in the cavity.
Option: Heat the cast iron pan on a burner before putting in the chicken. This gives the dark meat a head start.
Transfer chicken breast side up to a large skillet. If you’re using the optional lemon and garlic, arrange lemon and garlic cut sides down in skillet around chicken. I used a roasting pan and put quartered potatoes and onions around the chicken.
Drizzle chicken with butter and transfer to oven. Roast in center of oven until chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, checking for doneness after 45 minutes. For my 5½ lb chicken I checked at 60 minutes and then needed another 20 for it to be done. To check, remove skillet from oven, and use an instant thermometer to measure the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh and breast. The thigh should be 170°F and the breast 160°F.; Continue to roast, checking every 5 to 10 minutes, until you get the right temperatures.
Let chicken rest in skillet at least 15 minutes before carving. Transfer chicken to a platter. Top with pan juices and serve with roasted lemon and garlic alongside.
Do Ahead: Chicken can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool. Cover and chill; bring to room temperature before serving.
This is a quick, simple and flavorful Italian inspired chicken dish, perfect for a weeknight. Serve with rice and a complementary vegetable.
2boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1shallot, minced
2cloves garlic, minced
1tsp each, dried oregano and dried basil or 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
6 – 8oz heavy cream
vegetable oil
Heat skillet of sauté pan over medium high until hot, add oil and heat until almost smoking.
Brown chicken breasts, cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to hot plate in oven. Wipe pan clean and reheat over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil.
When hot add shallot and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, until just translucent. Add garlic and cook for 10 to 15 seconds.
Add basil and oregano (or Italian Seasoning) and cream and bring to boil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Return chicken to sauce. Cover and simmer slowly until cooked through (3 to 6 minutes).
