032: Taste the Tropics

Hey Q-Crew!

Spatchcocking is one of my favorite cooking techniques! It significantly cuts poultry cooking time making it a great way to make a hearty meal on a weeknight. This week we’re exploring Asian inspired flavors: Spatchcock Citrus Glazed Chicken with Scallion Garlic Fried Rice.

This month we’re focusing on a particular technique, spatchcocking! Also known as butterflying, spatchcocking is a poultry cooking technique where you remove the spine and press it flat which makes it cook faster, more evenly, and increases surface area for seasoning. You can use this method on larger birds like turkeys and smaller birds like cornish hens, but this month we’re focused on chicken.

Baked Citrus Glazed Chicken

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• Citrus glaze:
  • 1/4 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/2 stick butter melted
  • 3 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp minced onion
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes

Step 2: Turn the chicken over and press on the breast until you hear it snap and the chicken lays flat.

Step 4: Put the chicken into a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over it.

Step 6: Place the chicken skin side down on a roasting rack then roast at 375° for 30 minutes.

Step 8: Mix in the marmalade, black pepper, garlic powder, minced onion, and chili flakes until you have a smooth thick glaze.

Step 10: For the last 10-15 minutes, baste the chicken with the citrus glaze every 5 minutes until it dries down and becomes sticky.

Step 12: Cut the chicken into pieces and serve!

Scallion Garlic Fried Rice

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked cold rice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 scallions sliced with green part and white parts separated
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 salt
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2 cup minced garlic

Step 2: Put in the rice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step 4: Toss in the green parts of the scallion and cook for 3-4 more minutes.

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Bonus Recipe Coming Tomorrow: Air Fryer Huli Huli Chicken with Mac Salad

Hawaiian food is soooo delicious but who knows when I’ll get to Honolulu (Or Vegas and Dallas where my fave Hawaiian takeout spots are) again. So I learned to make my go to order at home! This Hawaiian lunch plate has huli huli chicken, mac salad, and instead of white rice, I served it with my fried rice. Perfect tropical lunch.

Sweet & Sticky E-Cookbook!

Who doesn’t like to indulge their sweet tooth every once in a while? We deserve a little treat! But just because we want something sweet doesn’t mean we have to stick to desserts. We’re exploring appetizers, mains, AND desserts to satisfy our craving!

P.S. A few of these recipes are my most popular on social media!

This PDF mobile cookbook is designed to be easily viewed on your phone so that you have all the recipes on hand exactly when you need them. If you’re a visual learner, the videos accompanying all of these recipes are posted at the end of the book!

Featured recipes:

• Baby Shower Meatballs
• Orange Pepper Chicken wings
• Henny Beef Bacon Jam Smash Burgers
• Sweet Chili Tiger Prawn Poboys
• General Tso’s Oxtail
• Candied Jerk Pork Chops
• Blueberry BBQ Poor Man’s Burnt Ends
• Leftover Pizza
• Honey Garlic Crispy Chicken Thighs
• Guava and Cream Cheese Pastelitos
• Jamaican Bread Pudding with Condensed Milk Sauce

P.S. You can find all my e-cookbooks and bonus recipes on Ko-fi!