Grilled Chicken Breasts with Soy and Honey Marinade

I prefer chicken breast on the bone — it tends to be juicier because the bones protect the meat from the heat. And besides, I am a bone chewer!

On the other hand, when it’s summer and I’m a little less motivated to cook and want an easy dinner, boneless chicken sure comes in handy.

I’ve made this dish many times (changed the sweetener to agave or maple; once used molasses; used pineapple juice instead of orange juice; left out the chili pepper because my sister-in-law, who was coming for dinner, doesn’t like even a hint of spice in her food). It’s easy to prepare the marinade and the good thing is, I can marinate the chicken ahead of time. Cooking takes anywhere from 10 to 16 minutes, max.

Easy peasy.

Follow me on Instagram @RonnieVFein

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange, Soy Sauce and Honey

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh orange zest

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper

• 4 skinless and boneless half chicken breasts or 8 small chicken thighs

Combine the soy sauce, orange juice, olive oil, honey, orange zest, ginger, scallions, garlic and chili pepper in a deep dish. Place the chicken in the marinade, refrigerate and let rest for 1-4 hours, turning the pieces occasionally. Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 5-8 minutes per side, depending on size and thickness, turning the pieces occasionally, or until cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

Brisket Wings

I don’t wait for Superbowl to serve chicken-wings. They’re one of our favorite foods to eat and are a regular item for dinner.

I make wings in all sorts of ways, with all sorts of seasonings and all levels of sweetness and spiciness. I’ve made them Korean style and Jewish style and East India style.

Recently I made some “brisket wings.”

What?

Here’s what I mean — I recently made brisket, which I slow-cook to tenderness and then light up our outside grill to cook it Texas-style. I use any one of a number of BBQ sauces I’ve developed over the years. BBQ sauce helps the meat come out with those fabulous crispy edges and burnt ends. (During colder months I use the oven broiler.)

I had some of the brisket sauce leftover so I decided to use it for some wings.

PERFECT!

This is a universal sauce! I have since even slathered some on top of some hamburgers, for extra burger goodness.

Here’s the recipe. I cooked the wings on a medium grill (lightly coat them with vegetable oil first), and then, after about 12-15 minutes, coat them with some sauce and cook them until crispy and done.

These wings would be terrific for Father’s Day!

BARBECUE SAUCE FOR BRISKET, WINGS AND MORE

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 medium clove garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped chili pepper

• 2 cups ketchup

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade

• 1/2 cup cold brewed coffee

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• pinch of ground cloves

Pour the olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and chili pepper and cook briefly. Add the ketchup, marmalade, coffee, honey, Balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and cloves and stir to blend them. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 12-15 minutes or until thick.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

Turkey Burgers

In Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem, Ode to the West Wind, he asks “If Winter Comes, can Spring be far behind?”

I think of this every year as soon as the weather warms up and the days get longer. In no time I forget the cold, snow and gray skies of just a few short months before.

I take the winter cover off the grill, clean the grates and get ready for months of quick, easy, outdoor cooking.

I light the fire.

It’s burger time!

Sometimes turkey burger time! Like this eggless version that’s so incredibly tender and flavorful and best served with mashed avocado but, hey, if you’re like my husband and insist on ketchup that’s ok too.

It’s a good bet for Father’s Day. Labor Day too.

EGG-FREE Turkey Burgers with Mayo and Mustard

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 20-24 ounces ground turkey

• 1 small onion, grated

• 1 large clove garlic finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs, seasoned or plain

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, optional

• 4 slices lightly toasted bread

• 2 tomatoes, sliced

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill. Mash the avocado with the lemon juice, cover and set aside. Place the turkey, onion, garlic, mayonnaise, mustard and bread crumbs in a bowl and mix to combine the ingredients evenly. Shape the mixture into 4 burger patties about 3/4-inch thick. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side OR heat the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the burgers for about 5 minutes per side or until crispy and cooked through. While the burgers are cooking, toast the bread. Place 4 slices of toasted bread on each of four plates. Spread equal amounts of the avocado on each slice. Place tomato slices over the bread. Top with the burgers. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings

Grilled Carrots

I always think of Memorial Day Weekend as the start of the official grilling season where I live. Silly, maybe. Lots of people I know grill year round. But I don’t like being outside cooking chicken breasts or hamburgers when the weather is what the weather is in Connecticut during the winter.

So — the grill is open now, thanks to warmth and sunshine.

This recipe for grilled carrots is my official start to the official start of grilling season. We’ve eaten the carrots hot, with the cold sauce. We’ve eaten the leftovers at room temp, with the cold sauce. Winner, either way.

Also - you can cut the carrots into smaller pieces and use them with the sauce, for crudites.

Grilled Carrots with Yogurt Sauce

• 1 dozen medium carrots

• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup plain Greek style yogurt

• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or use crushed red pepper)

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Peel the carrots and coat them with the olive oil. Grill the carrots, turning them occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until browned and tender. While the carrots are cooking, mix the yogurt with the lemon juice, lemon peel, Aleppo pepper and 2 tablespoons of the mint. Serve the carrots with the yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with fresh mint.

Makes 4-6 servings

Korean Style Gochujang Chicken Wings

My husband doesn’t conform to the Hollywood version of the Father’s Day grill master. I do the cooking, including anything made on the outdoor BBQ grill.

He eats.

Fortunately, he eats whatever I serve and loves whatever I cook.

He does have favorites, of course: any kind of Chinese food is in first place. Followed by specialties of several other Asian cuisines such as Korean and Indian. He also loves Jewish deli and Texas Brisket.

So this weekend he’s getting these wings, Korean in origin, made with Gochujang sauce. If you keep a kosher kitchen, check out @koreankosher (Koko brand), which manufactures several kosher Korean ingredients, including a really delicious Gochujang sauce.

I usually bake these but they come out just fine on the grill also, so take your choice.

Korean Style gochujang chicken wings

• 3 pounds chicken wings

• 1/3 cup Gochujang sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped

• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large scallion, chopped, for garnish

• white sesame seeds for garnish

Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Wash and dry the wings and separate the parts In a large bowl, combine the Gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, ginger and garlic and mix the ingredients to blend them thoroughly. Set aside. Pour the vegetable oil over the wing parts and toss to coat all the pieces. Grill the wings, turning once, for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Brush the wings with some of the sauce, and cook for about 12-15 minutes, brushing with more of the sauce, until the wings are crispy and fully cooked. Sprinkle with the scallion and white sesame seeds.

If you don’t have a grill: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Eliminate the vegetable oil. Place the wings in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat the pieces evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Turn the wings over and bake for another 15 minutes or until the wings are crispy.

Makes 6-8 servings

Roasted Corn Salad

I can’t wait for 2020 to end. It’s been a stressful, depressing year.

In addition to the pandemic and the hate-filled political climate, we had a storm last week that knocked out our power and land-line telephone for days, and there was sketchy internet service too.

And we lost a huge limb from our favorite hundreds-of-years-old maple tree.

Then there was a water main break so we had no water for a whole day.

YECH!!

Still, I am grateful for a number of things.

For instance: crops. Vegetables that grow despite the political circus, despite the hatreds, despite the racial tensions, despite the bad weather, despite the virus, despite the social distancing and the quarantines.

They don’t make up for the lost lives, the lack of hugs, the inability to travel or be with loved ones. But, thank goodness for these, the positives that nature brings us.

Summer’s best crops: tomatoes, peaches and nectarines.

And corn.

Get a couple of good ears of corn and grill them or use your oven and follow the recipe below for a refreshing summer salad. It made me feel better to make this one.

Charred Corn Salad

• 2 cups corn (about 3 ears of corn)

• 1/2 cup chopped red onion ( 2 3/4-inch thick slices)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (or use goat cheese or any crumbly white cheese)

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (or crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the corn and onion on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the vegetables, toss and roast for 12-20 minutes or until crisped and browned. Alternatively, rub the ears of corn and the onion with the olive oil and grill for about 10-12 minutes, turning the vegetables occasionally, or until crispy and tender, then remove the kernels and chop the onion. Place the vegetables in a bowl. Let cool. Add the cheese and parsley. Pour in the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Pomegranate Chicken Wings

I know that Labor Day is not the end of grilling season, but somehow it's a reminder that so much in our lives is about to change. In the month or so ahead, leaves turn to red and gold. School begins. There's a vague chill in the air at night. The sun sets earlier and nighttime comes sooner.

I also realize that many people continue to grill outdoors throughout the year.

I'm not one of them. If it's below 45 I don't feel like slaving over a hot grill in the cold night air.

So, knowing how way leads on to way, I am making the most of the grilltime that's left.

These wings will be on my menu soon, before I close up shop for the winter.

Fyi, you can use the glaze for other chicken parts and bake the pieces n the oven or broil them in an oven broiler. It’s also fine to use for basting a whole roasting chicken.

 

Pomegranate Wings

• 2 pounds chicken wings

• olive oil (about one tablespoon)

• 1/2 cup pomegranate jelly

• 2 tablespoons orange juice

• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 scallions, chopped

• pinch or two cayenne pepper

• salt to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Wash and dry the wings and cut them into separate pieces. Brush with olive oil and grill, turning once, for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. While the wings are cooking, mix the pomegranate jelly, orange juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions cayenne pepper and salt to taste until well blended. Brush this glaze on the wings and cook for another 10-12 minutes, turning the wings occasionally and brushing with remaining glaze, until crispy and fully cooked.

Makes about 24

Hot and Fruity Barbecue Chicken

Around this time of year, when BBQ season is in full gear (at least where I live), you might be in need of a new barbecue sauce.

It gets a little boring to flavor chicken and fish and whatever else you put on the grill the same way over and over.

Besides, with so much fresh, local fruit available, it’s the perfect time for a peach/nectarine/plum based sauce.

So, here one is. It’s a little jazzed up with chili pepper, but is not overly spicy.

Hot and Fruity Barbecue Sauce

• 4-5 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled

• 2-4 ripe plums

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 serrano pepper (or other small chili pepper), deseeded and chopped

• 1-1/4 cups ketchup

• 1/3 cup orange or other fruit juice

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup honey

Remove the pit from the peaches, chop the flesh and place it in a bowl. Cut the plums in half, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh. Add it to the peaches. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Add the garlic and chili pepper and cook for another minute. Add the fruit, ketchup, juice, cider vinegar and honey. Stir to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Cook over low-medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thickened. Let cool. Puree in a food processor. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste.

Makes about one quart

Grilled Crispy Pineapple

Grilled Pineapple

If you’ve never tasted grilled pineapple, you’ve missed a real treat.

Cut into thick slices, it’s a fabulous side dish for dinners of grilled or roasted chicken, lamb, duck or fish.

But it has a sort of rum-like flavor, so I also think of it as a “solid cocktail.” Which makes it the perfect accompaniment to such items as grilled chicken wings and other savory nibbles. In that case, cut the large slices into cubes and skewer the chunks onto toothpicks.

OR — this dish is so versatile — top each slice with whipped cream, ice cream or sweetened mascarpone cheese (garnish with some chopped pistachios or mint) and use it as a dessert.

Any way at all — you can’t go wrong.

Grilled Pineapple

• One whole pineapple

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, vegetable oil, melted butter or a mixture of these

• 2 tablespoons orange juice

• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel

• sea salt

• mint for garnish, optional

Cut the leaves off the pineapple. Remove the outer fibrous rind. Cut the peeled pineapple in slices about 3/4-inch thick. Set aside in a single layer in a pan. Heat the brown sugar, coconut oil, orange juice and orange peel in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the pineapple slices, turning the pieces to coat both sides. Let macerate for about 45 minutes. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium (or use a grill pan or the oven broiler). Grill the slices for about 4 minutes per side or until well glazed and tender, brushing occasionally with some of the liquid. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Garnish with fresh mint if desired.

Makes 6 servings

More Chicken Wings: Maple-Mustard

In our family we don’t wait for Superbowl Sunday to feast on chicken wings. We eat them throughout the year, often.

In fact, I have an enormous file folder filled with recipes, maybe almost as many recipes for wings as for banana bread (and as everyone who reads this blog knows, I have a lot of recipes for banana bread!).

Here’s one of the latest versions. Eat anytime. Don’t wait.

Grilled Maple-Mustard Chicken Wings

• 2 pounds chicken wings, separated into pieces

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion

• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• salt to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Wash and dry the wings and cut them into separate pieces. Brush with olive oil and grill, turning once, for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. While the wings are cooking, mix the maple syrup, mustard, chives, cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt to taste until well blended. Brush this glaze on the wings and cook for another 10-12 minutes, turning the wings occasionally and brushing with remaining glaze, until crispy and fully cooked.

Makes about 24