Crispy Mojo Seco Grilled High-Low Chicken

Ok… here’s a very simple, bone in, chicken thigh recipe.
With only one trick…
I cook this with low grill heat (about 325-350), but put all of the thighs on a high rack normally used for toasting bread or keeping things warm.

I buy organic (when available) ,skin on,  bone in, chicken thighs.
Wash and trim excess fat, and skin.
Pat dry with paper towel.
Put in a large enough mixing bowl.
Drizzle with just enough vegetable oil or olive oil to coat.
Then, generously dust all over with Konriko brand Mojo Seco (Dry Mojo).

Get your hands in there turn everything over add Mojo if necessary.                                Add freshly ground pepper to taste.                                                                                              Set aside and let chicken get room-ish temperature.
Preheat your grill to low temps, around 350 or below degrees.
When the meat is ready, place it on the upper grill grate (my upper grill grate can accommodate appx. 8 thighs)
You may have to rig something up with a additional raised up rack if you are trying to cook more thighs than that, or cook the thighs in batches, and keep warm.
Start the cooking skin side up.
The dripping chicken fat will cause flare-ups and burn even this far off the flame (the more thighs you cook, the greater the dripping fat content… the more possibilities of flare ups)
Cook with lid closed, keeping an eye on flare ups and burning, especially when crisping the skin side of thighs.
Try to cook through your thighs skin side up 85 % of the cooking time.
About the cooking time.
This method takes appx. 30 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the thighs)
I use a Thermapen Classic Instant Read Thermometer to make sure my chicken is done perfectly. (around 165 degrees)
I have been through many cheaper grill thermometers… I will swear by Thermopen to be worth every cent of your investment!
Obviously the smaller thighs will be done first, with a good thermometer, you can avoid over cooking anything.
Doing most of the cooking, skin side up, allows you to cook the chicken properly, and only crispy up the skin under your watchful eyes as necessary.
Crisping up the skin (without burning) is the most difficult grilling job to this dish!
But if you love to grill, this is a crispy, juicy, and flavorful chicken recipe with a spicy mojo flair.
Try it with a nice fresh green salad, and my Billy’s Farm Fresh Southern (Louisiana) Succotash Side. 

 

Billy’s Take on a Farm Fresh, Southern Succotash, With Crispy Mojo Chicken.

(Billy’s Succotash, with steamed broccoli, and Crispy Mojo Grilled Chicken)

When the tomatoes, corn, okra, and chiles all get ripe in North Carolina at once… you have to get creative about how to use them. Because you are going to be eating up a lot of fantastic fresh vegetables!
My neighbors brought me a whole mess of white corn, ripe tomatoes, and cayenne peppers from their garden. I bought the okra from my local grocery store (pick the smaller 3 inch long  young ones!).  I could have easily found fresh okra at a local farmers market too.
I chose to make a Louisiana inspired succotash using okra, and omit the traditional lima beans.
My dish was sautéed on the stove top. It could be even better IMO, if the some of the ingredients were grilled i.e. the okra and corn (both grilled whole then sliced/cut off the cob) .
Plan on 45 minutes prep time for vegetables, and 25-30 minutes total cook time.
Here’s what goes into the succotash:
3/4 pound of washed , de-stemed, okra cut into 1/4 inch rings.
1 large Vidalia onion crudely diced.
6 large cloves of fresh garlic, de-skinned, smashed with a knife, and then diced.
1-2 jalapeno peppers, or a fresh green cayenne pepper, de-seeded then diced.
3 medium or 2 large, ripe red tomatoes, diced, preserving seeds and juice.
3 ears of fresh sweet corn (color your choice), kernels cut off the cob.
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper.
1/2 tsp salt. (the next ingredient is very salty)
1-2 tsp of Tony Cachere’s Original Creole Seasoning (or to taste)
1-2 tsp of Valentina Salsa Picante (to taste).
2 tbsp plus of vegetable oil or olive oil.
*For a tasty garnish crisp up 3 or more strips of smoky bacon to crumble onto finished succotash.

Add vegetable oil or olive oil to a large heavy bottomed sauté pan or chef’s pan.
Preheat oil to medium high heat.
Add onion, garlic , peppers, and okra to the pan.
Cook this mix until the onions are translucent, and starting to get a bit golden.
Appx. 8 minutes.
Add uncooked corn kernels.
Add tomatoes with seeds and juice.
Turn heat down to medium low cover and simmer for 6 more minutes.
Uncover and reduce water content as necessary
Add black pepper.
Creole Seasoning to taste.
Salsa Picante to taste.
Salt if necessary to taste, but the Creole Seasoning is very salty!
Simmer on Low heat for 4 more minutes.
Serve piping hot , and garnish with crumbled bacon if  going non-vegetarian.

Recipe for Crispy Mojo Dry Rub Grilled Chicken.

I guess I’d call it chicken n’ cheese tortellini soup…

Here’s a recipe I’ve been flirting with for quite a while now.
It is great for fall evenings by the fire, or a nice weekend lunch.
It has a lot in common with chicken cacciatore.
The herbs, olives and pepper elements give the soup a spicy zing.
The cheese tortellini give the soup a “comfort food” quality.

6 organic boneless chicken thighs. Cut into bite sized pieces.
1 lb. organic cheese tortellini. (we found in the freezer section).
1 large sweet yellow onion rustic diced.
1/2 red bell pepper rustic dice.
14 oz. can fire roasted organic diced tomato ( garden fresh… even better!)
64oz. organic chicken stock. 2) 32 oz. boxes.
1 cup of pitted kalamata olives, halved.
3/4 cup of fresh Italian parsley chopped.
8 cloves of garlic minced.
1 1/2 teaspoons dry oregano.
1/2 teaspoon thyme.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Olive oil.
Crushed red pepper flakes.
1 table spoon rice wine vinegar.
Grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese.

In a large-ish soup pot on medium high heat…
Add 2 tbsps of olive oil.
Add chicken. Cook until half way done an a bit browned. Appx. 4 minutes.
Stir somewhat often.
Add minced garlic cook for another 1 1/2 minutes.
Remove from chicken from pot, set aside in bowl.
Add small amount of oil to pot if necessary.
Add diced onion, cook until transparent and only lightly golden on edges, 4 minutes or so.
Add red bell pepper, cook 2 more minutes.
Add diced tomato cook 4 minutes.
Add herbs.
Add one box 32 oz. chicken stock to pot.
Bring to boil then turn to simmer.
Bring separate pot of water to boil for the tortellini.
Cook tortellini until al dente. One minute short of done. Appx. 7 minutes.
Add back the chicken to the soup base pot.
Add olives and 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes (More or less to your taste).
Add more chicken stock for soupier consistency.
Bring back to boil then simmer again.
The tortellini can be strained added to the soup.
Add rice wine vinegar or some tangy vinegary such.
Add 3/4 cup of Italian parsley.
Let simmer for 2 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in soup bowl with some crusty bread like foccacia (shown).
Garnish lightly with grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese.
Don’t forget a nice glass of Sangiovese with these cacciatore like flavors.

This dish could be made for vegetarians… remit the chicken and chicken stock.
Replace the chicken meat with sauteed zucchini squash and portobello mushrooms.
Replace stock with vegetarian soup stock.

Doc Chey’s Thai Red Curry Knock Off….. nailed!

Hey all!
If you are in Georgia, or the Asheville, NC area… You may have had the pleasure of eating at Doc Chey’s Noodle House.
It is a fantastic value, with many outstanding Asian inspired dishes… all created to suit your personal tastes for meat, or not, heat, or not.
One of my favorite dishes… (ok, I get it EVERY TIME I go.) is the Thai Red Curry (with chicken) and jasmine rice.
I love this dish SO much, I have trying to create it at home for 5 years…
I finally nailed the recipe!
And you can do it too!
Here’s how….

Start with one can of Thai Kitchen organic whole, or light coconut milk.
Put in a small sauce pan and simmer (low) for a short time (do not scorch it!) add 2 tablespoons of Thai Kitchen Thai Red Curry paste and blend well with a fork.
The red curry paste is, IMHO, mild, but start with 1 tablespoon if you want increase curry to taste.
Set the coconut milk/ curry aside.
Begin to cook 1 cup of Jasmine rice.
Prep 1/4 of a red bell pepper, cut in very thin strips.
Cut up a bunch of fresh basil (1/2 cup)

You’ll need one can of Irish small potatoes (which I always cut in half or quarters).
We can argue about fresh baby potatoes or canned… Doc Chey’s uses canned, they are really dense, and taste like elementary school cafeteria food. (oddly comforting)
But they work well in this dish… So just do it! 🙂
Breaking news!!! I have been informed (by a reliable source) that Doc Chey’s does NOT use canned potatoes. So I guess I have to investigate how they might get them to taste, smell, and look, as if they did…. 🙂

Ok… Your rice is cooking…
In a heavy wok like pan or saute.
Add some canola or other vegetable oil, two tbsps. or so.
When the oil is hot…
If you are doing this dish with chicken bits, or anything that takes several minutes to cook… this goes in now.
I’d say 1/2 pound of whatever protein/meat you are doing.
Cook until 3 minutes away from completely done.
I actually made the dish pictured with ultra fresh scallops from Cape Fear Seafood, so I cooked the onions and peppers first, as not to overcook the scallops. Cook scallops or shrimp for a very short time and set them aside lest they toughen.

Salt and pepper to your taste here.
If your rice is done set it aside now.
We are very close to blast off!
So your saute is happening.
Your chicken, shrimp, scallops, or tofu is 1 minute away from being done…
Time to add the Irish potatoes, and the red curry coconut mix to the saute.
Lower your heat to simmer right now… the coconut mix can burn easily!
Here are some specialty flavor items that you will need here.
You need a bottle of Thai Kitchen fish sauce… add about one teaspoon or to taste.
You also need a teaspoon of rice vinegar.
The a sweet touch… a pinch of brown sugar.
Simmer for one more minute (don’t over cook your shrimp!) and add the fresh basil.

The dish is WAY better than it looks in this photo!
Whatever meat, or not, you are adding to this dish…. it can be cooked first then set aside so that you don’t over cook it. Under cook it slightly and finish it at the final push.
If you didn’t burn anything, go ahead and leave the pan as is, so the flavor remains in the pan. reintroduce the cooked proteins at the last stage of the cooking.
Serve up the rice… spoon the red curry mix over the rice!
Voila!

Again… this dish is about the red curry coconut flavor.
You can do pure vegetables. Tofu, fish,shrimp, chicken, or any other protein you want.
Create the righteous curry base, then add your perfectly cooked protein… you are in heaven! I guarantee it!
PS just to confuse you, I reworked the recipe… and fresh basil IS the best way to go.
All the pictures show fresh green onions… but you can omit them.