Sweet and a little bit sticky, this chicken dish should be served with steamed rice and if you want to continue the sweet, a roasted sweet potato or if you want some contrast, serve with a bitter green salad.

The first time that I made these, I didn’t really have enough chicken to go around so I cut the chicken up in chunks and served it over rice. The combination of the tart lemon, the ginger and the spicy red pepper flakes is just perfect. Whole chicken breasts are even better. The lemon zest is best cut with a zester, to achieve long strands of lemon rather than the minced lemon you get from a grater.

1 ¾ – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
4 scallions, white and green chopped, plus additional whole scallions for garnish
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Place everything, except the canola oil, salt and cilantro, in a bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to four.

Sprinkle the chicken with the salt. Place a large cast iron or non stick skillet over high heat and when it is hot, add the canola oil. Place the chicken, skinned side down, in the skillet, one at a time, waiting about 30 seconds between additions. Cook until well browned and cooked throughout, about 5- 7 minutes per side.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve immediately garnished with the cilantro leaves and additional scallions.

This is a wonderful, aromatic but not really spicy chicken that can be paired with any sweet tropical fruit: mangoes, pineapples and bananas are particularly good. The chicken can be grilled instead of pan-fried and it is equally good cold.

Essentially fried chicken with a kick, this dish is easy to prepare. The longer it sits in the marinade, the hotter the spice will be. If you don’t have a lot of time and you want more heat, add 1 teaspoon chili powder to the cornmeal and flour mixture. Serve with a dark green salad.

This chicken dish has the complexity of something more complicated yet takes minutes to prepare. Serve it with steamed rice and a salad.

Somewhat Asian in flavor, this dish can be enhanced by cilantro, sesame seeds or both.

TESTED
Somewhat Asian in flavor, this dish can be enhanced by cilantro, sesame seeds or both.

1 ¾ – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
grated zest of one well washed orange
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon canola or soy oil

Place the chicken, soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, garlic and ginger root in a large non-reactive shallow bowl and stir to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least ½ hour and not more than two hours.

Remove and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Place a large cast iron or non stick skillet over high heat and when it is hot, add the oil. Add the chicken breasts, skinned side down, one at a time, waiting about 30 seconds between additions. Cook until well browned and cooked throughout, about 5- 7 minutes per side.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve immediately.

TESTED For ease I have used boneless skinless breasts but the sauce is especially good on wings or drumetttes, served either hot or cold. The chicken can also be grilled.

Roasted chicken always seems like a long cooking luxury fit only for weekends but with this method, of cooking at a very high heat, roasted chicken can be yours in less time than it takes to order one for take-out. If you want to serve four, buy two chickens rather than one larger one.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 bunch scallions, whites chopped and greens thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped ginger root
1/3 cup grated, unsweetened fresh or dried coconut
2 carrots, peeled, if desired, and sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 – 3 tablespoons curry powder
6 cups chicken stock
¾ – 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup heavy cream
1 large orange, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Place a large pot over a medium high heat and when it is hot, add the butter. Add the scallion whites, coconut, carrot, celery and cook until the coconut is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the curry and cook for one minute.

Add the chicken stock and chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. It is not necessary for the vegetables to be completely cooked. Remove the chicken and when it is cool enough to handle, chop it.

Place the remaining broth in a blender, one cup at a time, and blend until smooth, gradually adding the cream. Cover and refrigerate until it is very, very cold, about 4 hours. Serve garnished with the scallion greens, chicken, orange and cilantro.

Makes about 8- 10 cups