Grilled Ginger Spiced Chicken Thighs

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I was looking for a different way to prepare chicken thighs the other day, and found myself clicking through Food Network’s site in search of some inspiration.

Lately I’ve been buying bone-in, skin on chicken thighs because I think they have the most flavor. But I happened to stumble across a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs on sale at the grocery store, and I couldn’t pass them up.

So, as I perused the Food Network site, one recipe that caught my eye was this one from Bobby Flay:

Smoked Ginger Chicken with Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon

I had most of those ingredients on hand, or at least the “feel + taste” of those flavors. Inspiration had arrived!

Here’s the difference between our two recipes:

1. My soaked liquid included water, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, ground cardamom and crystallized ginger (I don’t typically keep fresh ginger on hand).

2. I used a grill pan rather than our charcoal grill. I love a good piece of grilled chicken, don’t get me wrong, but on this particular day it was raining so I had to be inside.

3. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of a whole butterflied chicken (although I’m sure that would be tasty!).

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Grilled Ginger Spiced Chicken Thighs

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

These grilled ginger-spiced chicken thighs are marinated in a blend of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and crystallized ginger, then cooked to perfection on a grill pan. Inspired by Bobby Flay's smoked ginger chicken, this recipe adapts the flavors for an indoor cooking experience, making it ideal for any weather. The aromatic spices infuse the chicken with a warm, zesty profile, offering a delightful twist on traditional grilled chicken.

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Ingredients

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 3 pieces of crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon black whole peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 head garlic, cloves removed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/8 cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Add 1/2 cup water, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, peppercorns and cardamom to a small bowl and set aside to soak for 1 hour. Strain the water and keep it for the next step.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it's soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard seeds and continue cooking for 30 seconds longer. Add the 1/2 cup of reserved water, lime juice, salt and pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue cooking for 1 more minute, and then transfer the liquid to a blender.

Blend the mixture on high until it's the consistency of a smooth paste (add more water if it's too thick). Let it cool completely.

Pour the paste over the chicken thighs, coating them completely. Cover and marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, but up to 4 hours. Remove the chicken 30 minutes before you're ready to grill.

Preheat your outdoor grill on high OR heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with a little salt and pepper, drizzle them with olive oil, and then place them on the grill or grill pan and cook for 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking for another 4 minutes. (My chicken thighs were on the small side and flattened out in the pan. If you're using a larger chicken thigh, you may want to add 1-2 minutes per side to ensure they're done.)

Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.