Tea Smoked Chicken Thighs With Pomegranate Glaze Recipes

TEA SMOKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toast the Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Cool slightly, and then crush in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle with the salt and five-spice powder until very fine. Rub seasoned salt all over the chicken thighs. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
• Bring the chicken to room temperature about 30 minutes before cooking.
• Line the bottom of a wok, skillet or heavy pot with a double layer of aluminum foil. Mix the rice, tea and brown sugar together and mound on the foil. Set a steamer on top, and evenly space the chicken on the rack. Cover and cook over high heat. Hot smoke the chicken until smokey-brown colored and cooked through, about 12 minutes.
• While the chicken cooks, whisk the Shao-sing wine or sherry, soy, ginger, and sesame together in a small saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes. Brush over cooked chicken.
• To serve: Dice the chicken into very small pieces. Toss with the scallions and peanuts in a medium bowl. Cut the lettuce leaves into 40 squares or triangular scoops. Place a drop of Sriracha on top of each lettuce cup, and top with about 2 teaspoons of the diced chicken. Squeeze lime juice over the top, and drizzle the remaining soy-ginger sauce over the chicken. Serve.

TEA-SMOKED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Zest one orange and peel other; set zest and peels aside. Cut oranges in half and squeeze juice through wire mesh strainer into a bowl. Reserve juice.
• Scatter orange peels, tea, star anise and cinnamon around center of bottom of smoker. Cover with drip tray and wire rack. Arrange thighs on rack and season generously with pepper and salt. Place on stove over medium heat and after first wisp of smoke appears, cover tightly with lid. Smoke for 20 to 25 minutes. Shut off heat and rest for 5 minutes with lid on.
• While chicken is smoking, combine zest, hoisin, pomegranate molasses and sriracha in a small bowl. Add about half reserved juice, more if sauce is too thick. Set glaze aside.
• Pour oil in a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron pan over medium high heat. When hot, add chicken, and cook about three minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium low, brush both sides of chicken with glaze, and cook for another few minutes until crisp. Serve immediately, with extra sauce on the side.