Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Thai Hot Sauce

Barbecue in America is going through a transition. Are we bored with the traditional southern style barbecue? Not really. It’s just that with more people joining the ranks of outdoor chefs, an increased amount of creativity is evolving. Throw into the mix many foreign influences. Recipes and methods from overseas are reaching our shores like never before.

A case in point is this Thai chicken recipe. The authentic flavors of China, Thailand, Korea and a multitude of other Asian countries are slowly creeping their way to our backyard grills.

Personally, I think that’s a good thing. Granted, I’ll never give up my smokey, southern style barbecue, it’s just that the grill can be utilized for many other styles of cooking as well. The advantage is the additional flavor that only a fire cooked meal can provide.

Give this Thai chicken a try and you’ll understand that more can, and should be done on the grill. Don’t stop here. Continue to experiment and expand your grilling horizons.

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 bunch cilantro stems, leaves removed
• 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 chicken breasts, butterflied
• 1/2 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Add the garlic to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Add cilantro stems, soy sauce, water and salt and puree until semi-smooth. Pour marinade into a large
   plastic freezer bag and add the sugar and the pepper, then mix. Add chicken breasts, press out air and seal. Refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
2. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the chicken with oil. Over high heat, grill each breast 3 to 5 minutes per side, basting frequently with the oil and the marinade. When cooked
   through, remove from grill. Serve with hot sauce.

Thai Hot Sauce

• 2 red jalapeno peppers (if unavailable, substitute 1/2 a very red bell pepper and 1 tsp cayenne pepper)
• 2 green jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 green Serrano chile, roughly chopped
• 1/2 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 4 Tbls lime juice (2 limes)
• 4 Tbls orange juice (1 orange)
• 3 Tbls sugar
• 2 Tbls fish sauce

1. Place peppers and garlic into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Add juices, sugar and fish sauce and pulse until smooth.

Happy Grilling!

If you liked this recipe and would like to experiment more with foreign cuisine, give these Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs a try.  They’re easy to make and taste excellent!

Chef Mohan Ismail, of RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen, uses this recipe in his Asian grilling classes.

Photo credit courtesy of Jesse Yoshimura