Post-Thanksgiving, it’s hard even for DineGirl to be motivated to cook up a feast for dinner. Ordering- in just feels so uninspiring… (and unhealthy!) But one must eat in order to live to see another day. Unless you’re juicing this week, it’s easy to fall into a dinner rut. Not to despair! Here’s a quick dinner that can be whipped up in less than an hour. The best part? Most of the ingredients were just sitting in the pantry, with just a few added fresh ingredients. Plus, this dish requires no real measuring and no fussing around on the stovetop… Prep -> bake -> plate and garnish. A great healthy dinner, ready in time for Monday Night Football!
Asian Sticky BBQ Chicken with Farro Salad
(start to finish – roughly 1 hour)
Asian Sticky BBQ Chicken
Ingredients:
1 packet bone-in chicken (thighs work best)
marinade : 3 tblspn low sodium soy sauce / 1 tsp honey / pinch chili flakes or splash of Sriracha sauce / splash of Japanese Mirin / 1 tsp hoisin sauce / freshly grated ginger and garlic / 1 tsp sesame oil
to garnish: chopped scallion
Farro Salad
cooked farro (a few cups according to package directions)
add-in’s: dried fruits – cranberries or cherries, nuts – toasted walnuts or almonds
and cheese – feta or mild cheddar
dressing: 2-3 tblspn good olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice or red wine vinegar, salt & pepper
herbs: chopped parsley or chopped scallions
Directions:
1). Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2). Line a baking dish with foil – the honey can stick and will be really difficult to clean otherwise.
3). Combine all the marinade ingredients for the chicken, pour over the chicken and let sit for at least 10~15 minutes in the fridge. (Can marinate overnight, but before baking the chicken should be brought to room temperature, takes 15 to 20 minutes). Bring to room temp before baking.
4). Place the chicken with the marinade skin side up into the foil lined baking dish.
5). Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the skin is very brown and crispy. Towards the end of baking turn over to brown the bottom, and turn back to skin side up for the last 5 minutes.
6). While the chicken is baking – make the farro salad. Place warm, freshly cooked farro into a large bowl, pour dressing over to just coat. Add toppings and other veggies if there are leftovers (fresh spinach / roasted veggies work well). Taste for seasonings and adjust.
7). After the chicken is baked, remove from baking dish and tent with foil to rest 5 minutes.
8). Strain the pan liquids into a small saucepan, cook down on med-low heat to create a thick BBQ sauce, reduce liquid to half.
9). Plate farro salad and chicken, pouring over BBQ sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped scallions on top.
Great with cold beer or a crisp white wine.