In the kitchen with Elisa
Asian Inspired Spicy Chicken
A flavorful spicy chicken perfect for lunch or dinner
Cakes, donuts and cookies, it has been really all about the sweet stuff here lately and I have got to do something about it. So I am :) I promise I will try to bring here more savory recipes as well. And if you are hearing some distant screaming, don´t mind it, it´s my sweet tooth being unhappy about this idea.
​
I ​rarely cook the same dish twice when it comes to savory meals, or I do, but then it has to be some traditional kind of food that we crave and then I make it over and over again, like my Russian meat cutlets, that have almost become a weekly thing here :D But usually I just see what I have in the fridge and whip up something I feel like having at that specific moment and so there are endless savory recipes that I come up with, but I just rarely write them down and get on to filming them. But I have decided that I am going to do something about it and try to get better with writing down those recipe so I can then share them with you.
​
When I was making this Asian inspired spicy chicken, I realized, that it looks to me like something my dear friend Afia, who I know from Instagram, would make and I think this dish has got a lot of inspiration from the way she cooks and her use of spices. I actually didn´t even know about tandoori masala spice before her and never used spices so creatively and in such amounts. But then I got influenced by her and now there is no way back :) I don´t mind it at all, tho! :) If you love food, I mean any food, along with some great tips for home and great humour, then click here and visit Afia´s instagram account.
​
Before you check the recipe and think, is that supposed to be spicy? Let me explain :) This is European spicy, or spicy for wuss :D It is still spicy, because I thought it was and my boyfriend also. I cannot handle very spicy food, and that is why the recipe is for those like me who like that little chilli in their chicken, but just that little :) For those of you who are thinking, one chilli, phah, make it ten, just add more of the cayenne pepper and more fresh chilli to get the dish to your fire level :)
If it happens that you make the dish as in the recipe and it is way too spicy for you, don´t worry, grab some natural yogurt and enjoy the chicken with some yogurt to balance the spice.
Also I am very curious, whether you all are one chilli or ten chilli kind, so let me know in the comments below, how spicy you like it :)
​
Enjoy!
Step by Step Video
RECIPE
Asian Inspired Spicy Chicken
A flavourful spicy chicken perfect for lunch or dinner
​INGREDIENTS
​
-
3tbsp olive oil + extra for frying onions
-
2tbsp dark soy sauce
-
1tsp salt
-
3tsp dry onion
-
1tsp dry garlic
-
2tsp paprika
-
2tsp tandoori masala spice
-
1tsp curcuma
-
3tsp curry
-
1/2-1tsp cayenne pepper
-
1-1.2kg chicken thighs and drumsticks
-
5 small white onions
-
2 garlic cloves
-
1 red chilli (you can add 2 if you like it more spicy)
-
a thumb size piece of fresh ginger
-
1 can coconut milk
-
some fresh or frozen coriander
​
​
DIRECTIONS
​
-
Start by making the marinade for the chicken. Mix 3tbsp of olive oil and 2tbsp of dark soy sauce in a large bowl. Then add salt, dry onion, dry garlic, paprika, tandoori masala spice, curcuma, curry and the cayenne pepper, and mix well until combined.
-
Add the chicken to the marinade and rub the marinade thoroughly into the chicken pieces with your hands. Then cover the bowl with cling film and leave aside for at least 30 minutes.
-
Once the chicken has marinaded for about 15 minutes you can start frying the onions. Slice the onions, the chilli and the ginger finely. Peel the garlic and press through a garlic press.
-
Cover a bottom of a big pan with olive oil and add the onions to it. Fry on medium heat until the onions become translucent and start to get some color. Then add the red chilli, the ginger and the garlic and continue frying until the onions become golden.
-
Add the marinaded chicken to the onions and also add any marinade that is left in the bowl. Continue frying on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until the skin of the chicken starts to brown lightly. Make sure to turn the chicken around once in a while.
-
Add in the coconut milk, mix it in a little, cover with a lid and cook the chicken covered for about 30 minutes. Uncover to mix once in a while to ensure even cooking.
-
Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. This will thicken the sauce a little and will bring out the flavours.
-
Remove from heat and serve with some rice.
​
TIP. This recipe is European spicy and if you like it more fiery then you can add more cayenne pepper and also more fresh red chilli to make it to your preference. If you find the dish too spicy, serve it with aside of some natural yogurt to balance out the spice. When you leave the sauce to stand for a little you will notice that the oils will come to the top. You can then remove the oils and just serve the thick flavourful sauce that is at the bottom.
​
