Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (55 page)
Read Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans Online
Authors: Michelle Tam,Henry Fong
Tags: #Cookbooks; Food & Wine, #Cooking by Ingredient, #Natural Foods, #Special Diet, #Allergies, #Gluten Free, #Paleo, #Food Allergies, #Gluten-Free, #Healthy
T
he best way to reheat cold nuggets is to fry 'em again. They may crisp up even crunchier than the first time!
MAGIC WINGS
Hosting a party? Want to serve finger food that’s easy to prepare yet packed with umami? This recipe fits the bill. If you have time, marinate the chicken for a few hours in advance of cooking—but if you’re expecting guests within the hour, these wings will taste magical even if you’re making them to order.
| Makes 6 servings | 4 pounds chicken wings |
| Hands-on time: 10 minutes | 2 tablespoons Magic Mushroom Powder |
| Total time: 1 hour | ½ teaspoon Paleo-friendly fish sauce (optional) |
| Melted ghee | |
| 2 small limes , cut into wedges |
DO THIS:
- T
oss the chicken wings with Magic Mushroom Powder (and if desired, fish sauce) in a large bowl, making sure to evenly distribute the seasoning. Cover and marinate the wings in the refrigerator for up to
24
hours. - A
half-hour before serving, take the wings out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to
425
°F with the rack in the middle position. (Got a convection bake setting on your oven? You can set it to
400
°F on convection bake for this recipe.) Place a wire rack on top of a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. You’ll likely need to cook the wings in two batches, so if you have two trays, use ’em. - G
rease the rack with melted ghee, and arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Be careful not to overcrowd the wings. Bake for
15
minutes, and then flip the wings and rotate the tray. Bake for another
10
to
15
minutes or until the skins are crisp, taut, and golden brown. - P
late and serve with lime wedges.
P
repare this dish with thighs for an easy weeknight meal! Just cook for 15 minutes more, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 170°F.
D
ip these wings in
S
riracha
M
ayonnaise
!
CRISPY SMASHED CHICKEN
So you’ve had a long, stressful day, and no clue what to make for dinner. But you have chicken breasts in the fridge, right? Believe it or not, you can easily transform that cold poultry into hot, crispy paillards in
30
minutes or less. Plus, you can release your pent-up rage by going medieval on the chicken. Win-win!
| Makes 4 servings | 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each) |
| Hands-on time: 30 minutes | ½ cup coconut flour |
| Total time: 30 minutes | 1 tablespoon kosher salt |
| ½ teaspoon garlic powder | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| 2 tablespoons ghee or fat of choice, plus more as needed | |
| 2 limes , cut into wedges (optional) | |
| 2 cups Spicy Pineapple Salsa or Salsa Roja Asada (optional) |
DO THIS:
- S
prinkle a few drops of water on the chicken and place it between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment. Then, hulk out and smash the breasts with a meat pounder, rolling pin, or small cast-iron skillet until the chicken is uniformly flattened into ½-inch-thick paillards. - I
n a large bowl, mix the coconut flour, salt, garlic powder, and a few grinds of pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, and pat off any excess. - H
eat the ghee over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron skillet until it’s shimmering. - O
ne at a time, fry each chicken breast in the skillet, letting it cook undisturbed for
3
to
4
minutes before flipping. Then, cook the other side for another
3
to
4
minutes, or until the exterior is crisp and golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack, and tent it with foil while you fry up the remaining pieces. - S
lice up the paillards, and serve with lime wedges and your favorite salsa.
"Paillard" is a fancy French culinary term that describes a piece of meat that's been thinly sliced or pounded to facilitate quick cooking. It's fun to throw big words around!
