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In Bill's Kitchen
(Mostly) healthy recipes with a lot of spice and a little snark...
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GINGER CHICKEN

GINGER CHICKEN











Ginger Chicken
with Spicy Pickles

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

4 cloves garlic (about 1 1/2 Tablespoons)

1 1/2 Tablespoons grated ginger

1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 medium limes)

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)

For the pickles:

1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 medium limes)

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 medium jalapeño pepper

2 green onions, chopped fine

1 medium carrot (about 4 ounces)

For serving:

Fresh cilantro

1/2 medium head savoy cabbage

14 ounces dried rice noodles


Directions:

Start by preparing the chicken...

Finely grate or chop garlic. Peel and finely grate ginger. Juice 2 medium limes until you have 1/4 cup.

Add can of coconut milk, light brown sugar, kosher salt, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Add to the marinade and toss to combine. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425ºF.

Transfer the chicken and marinade into a 9x13-inch baking dish and arrange into an even layer. Add bell pepper and mix thoroughly.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is cooked through and browned in spots, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the pickles...

Juice 2 medium limes until you have 1/4 cup and place in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Using a mandoline or chef’s knife, trim and thinly slice 1 medium jalapeño pepper crosswise. Peel and cut 1 medium carrot into matchsticks (about 1/2 cup). Add carrots, jalepeno and green onions to the lime mixture and toss to combine. Let sit until ready to serve.

Then, put it all together...

Cut cabbage in half through the core. Cut the core out of each piece. Thinly slice the cabbage crosswise into fine ribbons until you have about 3 cups. Pick the leaves from fresh cilantro until you have 1 loosely packed cup.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain and divide between 6 bowls (no need to rinse).

When the chicken is ready, divide the cabbage, chicken, and coconut sauce over the noodles. Garnish with the pickled carrots and jalapeño and cilantro leaves, tearing the leaves into bite-sized pieces if too large.


Notes:

You can freeze the chicken for up to a month in advance. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a gallon-sized freezer bag and seal the bag. Lay flat on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Take it out of the freezer and transfer it to the fridge the day before you bake it, so it is fully thawed.

No joke, this is good stuff! Spicy, warming, fresh, and somehow light, even with the noodles. I adapted this from a very similar recipe on The Kitchn. They got it from Food.com. The best recipes go through a lot of hands before they get to your table.

You can use linguine, vermicelli, or soba noodles if you prefer. Heck, maybe even make some rice instead. I like to use shirataki noodles (5 calories per serving!) myself.

Store leftovers in separate containers for the noodles, chicken, and veg. It's just as good the next day.

If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can use basil or mint. Likewise, if you have some sick obsession with hating carrots, you can sub fennel, cucumbers or radishes. It's all good. Especially radishes. But maybe talk to a therapist about your carrot issues.
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