When we say "bomb" we mean that this piece of poultry is an explosion in your mouth; it's gonna light your taste buds on fire. It's definitely the bomb.com. (Overused, but completely appropriate!) Love at first bite.
This chicken has been fired up with a few habanero peppers and mellowed by the acid of some ripe cherry tomatoes. By using the skin-on leg and thigh quarters you have a practically fail-proof feast, right there!
SMOKY CHERRY BOMB CHICKEN
PREP TIME: 4 to 6 hours to brine
COOK TIME: about 2 hours, including smoke time
RECOMMENDED PELLETS: Hickory or Mesquite
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 quart cold water
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
4 chicken leg and thigh quarters
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 habanero peppers, seeded
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup prepared Thai sweet chili sauce
PREPARATION
Combine water, kosher salt, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat; cook until sugar and salt dissolve, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Puree cherry tomatoes, habanero peppers, garlic, and allspice with the salt and sugar mixture in a blender until smooth.
Score the skin side of each piece of chicken 2 to 3 times, about 1/8 inch deep. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl or lidded container. Pour tomato brine over chicken pieces, making sure all pieces are covered. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
Remove chicken pieces and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat chicken pieces dry with more paper towels.
Start the Traeger on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes).
Combine thyme, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oil in a small bowl.
Brush each chicken piece with thyme and oil mixture. (Don't put on too much oil or else you'll end up with some serious flare-ups!)
Smoke the chicken on the Traeger grill grate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Increase the temperature to 350 degrees F (or Medium if you have a manual controller) and continue to roast the chicken until the internal temperature in the thickest part of a thigh registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read meat thermometer, about 50 to 60 minutes. Keep an eye out for flare-ups!
Remove the chicken quarters to a plate and brush each piece with Thai sweet chile sauce. (That sauce is MONEY!) Transfer to a plate and allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
PRINTABLE RECIPE:
No comments:
Post a Comment