Asia
Tangerine Teriyaki Chicken with Grilled Plantains
Long before there was modern fusion cuisine, people cooked Chino-Latino. It originated with Chinese laborers who immigrated to Cuba and Trinidad and elsewhere in the Caribbean to work the plantations. They developed a unique mashup of Asian and West Indian cooking.
Teriyaki is Japan’s national barbecue, but this recipe gives it a Latino twist with cinnamon, rum, and fresh tangerine juice.
Other Recipes from Episode 211: Chino-Latino
Tangerine Teriyaki Chicken with Grilled Plantains
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Method: Direct grilling
Ingredients
- 4 airline chicken breasts (each 8 ounces)
For the Marinade/Glaze
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup fresh tangerine juice, plus four 1/2-inch strips tangerine zest
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 6 scallions, trimmed, white parts minced, green parts thinly sliced crosswise on a sharp diagonal, for garnish
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened with the side of a cleaver
- 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled, and sliced (flatten the slices with the side of a cleaver)
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken in half
- 4 whole star anise (optional)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 to 3 tablespoons black and/or white sesame seeds, toasted, for serving
- Grilled Plantains, for serving
Recipe Steps
1: Arrange the chicken breasts in a baking dish just large enough to hold them.
2: In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, tangerine juice, honey, sesame oil, rum, garlic, scallion whites, and ginger and whisk to mix. Stir in the tangerine zest, cinnamon stick, and star anise, if using.
3: Pour the marinade/glaze over the chicken, turning the breasts to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally.
4: Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate, draining well. Strain the marinade into a saucepan. Boil it until it’s reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the butter and keep the sauce warm.
5: Heat the grill to high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it.
6: Starting meat side down, grill the chicken breasts until just cooked, about 4 minutes per side, giving each a quarter turn after 2 minutes to lay on a crosshatch of grill marks. The last 30 seconds, start basting the chicken with the marinade/glaze. (Is time sufficient to cook breasts?)
7: Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Spoon the glaze over and dust chicken with scallion greens and sesame seeds.
8: Brush the steaks a final time with the glaze, then transfer to a platter or plates. Sprinkle with the sliced scallion greens and sesame seeds and serve at once.
Recipe Tips
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Steven Raichlen’s Project Fire is a production of Maryland Public Television, Barbacoa, Inc., and Resolution Pictures. © 2019 Barbacoa, Inc. Photos by Chris Bierlein.
