Beer Butt Chicken Barbecue

This is my father-in-law's version of the famous Beer Butt Chicken. This barbecue dish is a bit unorthodox but once you have tried this Beer Butt Chicken (some calls it Beer Can Chicken or Drunken Chicken) you will never go back. Don't be intimidated with the name of this dish, it is really simple to make. Just take a chicken, slather with butter or olive oil and meat seasoning, open a can of beer, drink a few glugs then insert the opened can into the cavity of the chicken and off to the grill it goes. The idea is to use the beer can as a tripod where you stand the chicken.  And the beer will help the chicken stay moist while it cooks. The result is an awesome chicken that's moist, and so tender it will fall off the bone! So what are you waiting for, open a beer and grab a whole chicken and let's start cooking!

Beer Butt Chicken Barbecue Recipe

Ingredients:

1 (3½ to 4 lbs) whole chicken

1 cup butter or olive oil
1 (12 oz) can beer (cut off top with a can opener)
2 tablespoons garlic salt or 4 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper or to taste
Fresh or dried herbs of your choice
Coarse salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

• Preheat barbecue grill (spray grill  cooking spray). Drink (or pour out) ¼ of the beer from the can.
• Get the chicken ready for cookin'. Trim some of the fat, get rid of the giblets . Rub liberally inside and out the chicken with your favorite meat rub. I prefer olive oil, basil, lots of fresh press garlic, paprika, salt and pinch of cayenne.
• Using a can opener, open up and top off the bear can and drop in the crushed garlic.
• Oil up the can and slide the top of the beer can deep inside the chicken cavity (the head end).  If the opening is especially wide, a carrot or slice of potato can be slid in beside the can to seal off the cavity. Push until the can is almost fully inside the bird. The bottom of the can and the two legs bent slightly downward form a tripod which keeps the chicken upright on the grill.

• Cover barbecue with lid, open any vents, and cook over low to medium heat for approximately 2 to 3 hours (depending on your heat source) or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165°F (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife). Check the chicken every 20 minutes or so and brush on more of the butter/seasoning mixture or olive oil as needed. If the chicken is browning too fast, cover the chicken with aluminum foil.
• When the chicken is done, remove from the grill and let the chicken cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven).
• Serve and Enjoy !

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Chicken Afritada (Filipino Chicken Stew)

Afritada is an authentic Filipino recipe which can be made in two different versions - Chicken Afritada or Pork Afritada. This Filipino dish is prepared with an interesting blend of ingredients, from soy sauce, tomato sauce and some vegetables. It is a Chicken stew that we  undoubtedly adapted from Spanish cuisine. The Spanish have a similar version of this dish called Pollo Guisado. Here is my version of Chicken Afritada - a very easy to make dish , very tasty and economical.

Chicken Afritada Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs of chicken, cut into pieces

2 pieces of potatoes,peeled and halved

2 pieces of carrots, peeled and cut into wedges

3 large pieces of fresh tomato ( you can use tomato sauce)

1 medium onions, diced

1 head garlic, minced

1 green and red bell pepper, sliced into strips

2 cups of chicken broth

2 tablespoon of tomato paste

2 tablespoon of fish sauce

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

3 tablespoon of cooking oil

½ cup of frozen green peas

salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

• Heat pan, add 2 tablespoon of cooking oil and brown the chicken. Set aside.

• In another pan, heat up 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Sauté  the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until tomatoes has caramelized and mushy.  Add the tomato paste and fish sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add the bell pepper, carrots and potatoes. Stir fry for 1 minute before adding the browned chicken.

• Add the chicken broth and season with soy sauce. Continue to simmer on low heat until meat and veggies are fork tender. Add the frozen peas. Cook for 1 more minute. Adjust the seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve hot with white steam rice. Enjoy!

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Chicken Thigh Glazed with Chimichurri Sauce

Chicken Thigh Glazed with Chimichurri Sauce is a quick and easy chicken dish that is perfect for weeknight meal. You can serve this with some Spanish rice or Fried Plantains and you are good to go! A Chimichurri is a popular sauce used in many Latin American cuisine. It is used for marinating or seasoning steak, chicken and chorizo sausages. Chimichurri Sauce/ Marinade is a mixture of chopped parsley and other seasonings, including shallots, garlic, herbs, oil and vinegar.

Chicken Thigh Glazed with Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

5 whole Skinless, Bone-in, Chicken Thighs
1 Tablespoon Goya Adobo
4 Tablespoons Chimichuri Sauce (see Note Below)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Chicken Stock (Beer or White Wine)

Cooking Directions:

• Preheat oven at 350°F.
• Clean and wash the chicken thighs thoroughly. Dry with paper towels.
• Season the chicken with the Goya Adobo seasoning.
• Heat a skillet with olive oil at medium-high heat, lightly brush chicken with chimichurri sauce and brown chicken in the skillet in batches, about 5 minutes. Transfer browned chicken to a glass baking dish.
• When done browning the chicken, de-glazed the skillet with your choice of broth, beer or white wine. Be sure to scrape up all the yummy brown bits.
• Pour broth with yummy browned bits over the chicken.
• Generously brush the chicken with the remaining chimichurri mixture.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until juices run clean, basting periodically.
• Serve with steams rice or rice and beans. Some fried plantains will complete your dish.
• Enjoy and share!

Chimichurri Marinade/ Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup parsley, 1 cup cilantro – finely chopped 
• 2 shallots, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon of oregano
• ¾ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon of kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil

Directions:

• Place chopped parsley and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add all seasonings to taste. Add vinegar, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until the marinade emulsifies.
• Use the sauce to marinate meat before grilling. (Marinate at least one hour; can marinate up to 8 hours or overnight.)
• Remove meat from the marinade and grill.
• If you like, reserve some marinade and puree it for use as a sauce.

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Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

I call this Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken a quick fix. This is very easy to make and has unique and great flavors. I made it one night when I did not have much time to make dinner and all I had in the fridge was a chicken breast. I looked into my "wish list recipe box" and saw this Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken by Rasa Malaysia. The picture looked inviting so I gave it a try.  It was another successful experiment for me. My husband and I enjoyed it very much and most likely will make it again. Try it for yourself and let me know how it turns out.

 

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Recipe

 Adapted from : Rasa Malaysia

 Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast/thigh, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 fresh lemongrass stalks, tender inner white bulbs only, minced
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 3 chilies, seeded and minced
• 1 scallion for garnishing ( I used parsley, I have no scallion available)

 Cooking Directions:

•  In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sugar. Add the chicken meat to coat.
• In a small skillet, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of the water and cook over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Transfer to a bowl.
• Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the lemongrass, shallot, and chilies and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the chicken and caramel and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer to a bowl and top with the scallion. Serve with steamed white rice.

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Chicken Marinated in Wine

This Roast Chicken Recipe with red wine marinade  is good on anything from chicken or turkey breast to chicken thighs. I got this recipe from a Spanish Recipe magazine. It was a challenge for me because I had to find English translations for the ingredients and cooking directions. Well, I made that easy for you now because I am posting the English version. This recipe came out so good, it was super moist and flavorful and very easy to prepare. I will be posting the roasted potato side dish soon. Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turned out.

Chicken Marinated in Wine Recipe

Ingredients:

1  (3-4 lbs) whole chicken
1-½ cup of red wine
1 cup of thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon of thyme
2 tablespoon of olive oil
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoon of unsalted butter


Cooking Directions:

• Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 4 hours or up to 24 hours; turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place the chicken on a buttered baking dish. Reserve marinade. 
• Bake chicken for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the juices runs clear.
• Bring the reserve marinade sauce to boil. Let it simmer under low fire  for 10 minutes or until reduced to half.
• Strain reduced sauce and return to pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
• Add remaining butter to the reduced sauce and stir continuously until butter is melted. Reserve.
• Once chicken is cooked ( should registed 160°F). Remove chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
• Serve with the reserved marinade sauce and roasted potato on the side.
• Enjoy and share!

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Asparagus Bacon Maki

One night I was wondering what I could make for dinner. I asked my husband and he said, just make something light as we were both not that hungry. So I looked at what ingredients I had available inside the fridge. I had a fresh asparagus, chicken wings and bacon. I asked myself, what can I make with these 3 ingredients? I decided to make Asparagus Bacon Maki which is a popular modern Japanese dish. This Asian dish is made from fresh green asparagus rolled in bacon. It is very fast and easy, but delicious. Give this a try and please let me know how it goes.

Ingredients:

1 lb of fresh asparagus ( 12-15 pieces)
1 lb of bacon
salt and pepper

Cooking Directions:

• On a medium sauce pan. Bring 3-4 cups of salted water to boil. Prepare shock bath (ice and cold water).
• Clean asparagus by snapping off about an inch of the bottom part, trim the ends.
• Blanch asparagus on the boiling water for 30 seconds up to 1 minute and drop to the prepared ice bath. Drain the asparagus and pat dry with paper towel.
• Take 3-4 pieces of the asparagus and wrap a 2-3 slices of bacon.
• Heat pan under medium high heat. Pan fry the asparagus bacon wrap until bacon is cooked enough.
• Serve with other appetizer of your choice. Share and Enjoy !

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Tandoori Chicken Wings

 

 

Tandoori Chicken is the most famous Indian dish that it is embraced by most people in the world. This classic Indian recipe is really easy to make and the spices you need are available in almost every grocery store. If not go to any Asian or Indian grocery.  So in search for the most authentic Tandoori Chicken recipe, I turn to my favorite guru online Chef Vah. Who can cook a more authentic Indian dish than the people from India itself? So here, I gave it a try with my own twist of the recipe. I brought this dish to a potluck party and everyone loved it. The spices are in perfect compliment with each other. This is definitely a keeper, this is one of the most authentic-tasting recipes I've tried.

 

 

                            

 

 

Ingredients:

 

2 lbs of chicken wings

½ teaspoon of dried red chillies

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of crushed ginger

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

2 tablespoon of red chilli powder

1 tablespoon of pepper powder

2 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of garam masala powder

½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

½ cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoon rice flour

oil for deep frying

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

Cooking Directions:

• Using a fork, prick holes in the chicken wings so that marinade soaks into the chicken.
• Place the chicken wings in a ziploc bag or non-reactive bowl.
• In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the chicken. Process until well blended.
• Pour the marinade over the chicken wings. Make sure chicken is well coated.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to 4 hours.
• Pre-heat oil or deep fryer to 350°F.
• In a mixing bowl, season the rice flour with salt and pepper. Drain the chicken wings and toss in rice flour mixture until well coated.
• Deep fry wings until crispy and cooked through ( juices run clear ). Drain on paper towels and serve.
• Enjoy and share!

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Chicken Adobo

Chicken Adobo is considered the national dish of the Filipinos. The preparation of this dish is relatively easy. Just dump everything into a pot and bring it to simmer. Though there are countless variations of chicken adobo, the basic ingredients of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic , bay leaf and peppercorns makes this dish delicious and tasty. This is one of my husbands ( Canadian ) favourite Filipino dish.

Ingredients:

2 - ½ lbs chicken pieces
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup sugar cane vinegar or rice vinegar
½ head garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of peppercorns
3 bay leaf
1 thumb size ginger, sliced
1 teaspoon of white sugar
2 cups of water

Cooking Instructions :

• In a wok or medium sauce pan, saute garlic and ginger. Add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes or until chicken turn brown.
• Add the vinegar, soy sauce , bay leaf , peppercorns and water. Bring to boil and let it simmer under low heat for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
• Continue to cook for 1 more minute or until sauce thickens.
• Serve with steamed white rice. Enjoy !

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