Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [20]
In the first few years of my marriage, there were several people I could rely on to provide me with excellent recipes. Two such friends were Debbie and Terry, sisters who are both excellent cooks. They have generously shared their best recipe finds with me over the years, and this is my version of one of those gems. The recipe was not one of our original picks for this book, but it made the cut after several people begged us to include it. —LT
ROYAL THAI THIGHS
MAKES 3 ENTRÉES, 4 SERVINGS EACH
1 TRAY (ABOUT 7 POUNDS, OR 16 PIECES) CHICKEN THIGHS ON THE BONE, SKIN REMOVED
6 scallions, chopped
¾ cup hoisin sauce
½ cup natural peanut butter
½ cup water ¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup lemon juice
6 teaspoons minced garlic
6 teaspoons minced ginger
1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
3 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
1. Rinse and divide chicken evenly among freezer bags.
2. Whisk together scallions, hoisin, peanut butter, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, and lemon juice in a medium bowl; divide the sauce evenly over the chicken. Into each bag measure 2 teaspoons garlic and 2 teaspoons ginger. Add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper to each bag, if desired.
3. Seal and freeze.
TO COOK ONE ENTRÉE
1. Completely thaw one entrée in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
3. Place chicken in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 180ºF.
HEAT UNITS
Hot peppers can be classified according to their Scoville heat units. The range of heat among peppers is large, with green bell peppers having 0 heat units and habaneros registering a sizzling 300,000 units or more. Thai food lovers and other food adventurers can substitute a hotter pepper for the crushed red pepper (approximately 20,000 heat units) in this recipe. Traditional Thai peppers, also called Asian hot, Thai hot, or bird peppers, can measure up to 100,000 heat units.
The simple sauce for this dish is always a hit with kids. You can substitute chicken legs for the thighs in this recipe. Or, if you prefer a stir-fry, marinate strips of chicken breast in the sauce, then stir-fry in a very hot pan with a little oil. —LT
TERIYAKI CHICKEN
MAKES 3 ENTRÉES, 4 SERVINGS EACH
1 TRAY (ABOUT 7 POUNDS, OR 16 PIECES) CHICKEN THIGHS ON THE BONE, SKIN REMOVED
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 teaspoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
3 teaspoons minced ginger
3 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
1. Rinse and divide chicken evenly among freezer bags.
2. Combine, stirring until sugar is dissolved, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and oil in a small bowl. Divide the marinade evenly over the chicken. Into each bag measure 1 teaspoon garlic and 1 teaspoon ginger.
3. Seal and freeze.
TO COOK ONE ENTRÉE
1. Completely thaw one entrée in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
3. Place chicken in an ungreased baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 180ºF. Turn pieces once or twice during baking. The longer the cooking time, the thicker and stickier the sauce will be.
This recipe comes from our friend and colleague Shawnee. Here’s what she says about her creation: “A dish so simple, it seems like no work at all. The combination of flavors came to me when I noticed both frozen mixed berries and berry salad dressing on a visit to my favorite warehouse store. My mother-in-law used to encourage me to pop a whole chicken into the oven when I got home from work, but I never did that until I created this easy recipe that has since become a staple in our household.” —KN / LT
BERRY-ROASTED CHICKEN
MAKES 2 ENTRÉES, 4 – 6 SERVINGS EACH
1 TWO-PACK (8–10 POUNDS TOTAL WEIGHT) WHOLE CHICKENS
2 cups berry-flavored vinaigrette dressing (try our handmade version on page 186)
2 cups (12 ounces) frozen mixed berries
1 cup chopped onion