Chicken With Ginger Cilantro Pesto Recipe Epicuriouscom Food

CHICKEN ROASTED WITH GINGER AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer in a lasagna-type baking dish. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, cayenne, and garam masala evenly on both sides and pat in. Now rub the ginger, yogurt, and cilantro all over the pieces. Make sure that the chicken pieces end up skin-side down. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake 25 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over. Continue to bake, basting with the pan juices every 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the top has browned, another 35 minutes.

QUICK PESTO

Steps:

• With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated. Editor's note: This recipe was originally published in the September 2002 issue of 'Gourmet' and first appeared on Epicurious in August 2004.

CULANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the garlic, salt, pepper to taste, and pine nuts in a food processor. Add the oil and culantro and process until smooth. Add the cheese and pulse to incorporate. Store in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 1 week in the refrigerator or 4 months in the freezer.

CHICKEN WITH GINGER-CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in processor. Blend until nuts are finely chopped. Add 6 tablespoons oil and process until well blended. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté until brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken breasts to plates. Top each with some pesto and serve.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PISTACHIO-CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast pistachios on baking sheet until golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer to processor. Maintain oven temperature. Add cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic, cardamom, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse paste forms. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup olive oil. Season with pepper.
• Using fingers, gently loosen skin from 1 side of each chicken breast, forming pocket. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto evenly under skin of each. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down. Cook until skin is dark golden, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast chicken until cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Place 1/2 cup remaining pesto into small bowl. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Drizzle pesto sauce over chicken breasts and serve.

GINGER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Take a piece of fresh ginger about the size of a finger and chop it fine or grate it on a coarse grater. Combine it with 1 finely chopped clove of garlic and a sprig or two of fresh coriander or Chinese parsley (also known as cilantro). Put this mixture in the cavity of a chicken and add a dash or two of soy sauce. Close the vent with foil, truss the bird and brush it with a mixture of soy sauce, peanut oil and ground ginger. Spit it and roast, basting during the cooking with more soy, oil and ginger.
• Serve this chicken with a good chutney, hot mustard and additional soy sauce. Rice, of course, is the perfect accompaniment. Dress the rice with plenty of butter, chopped toasted almonds, salt and freshly ground black pepper. To drink with this there is nothing better than iced or hot tea. Finish the dinner with vanilla ice cream topped with chopped preserved ginger. This is an amazing combination of flavors and sensations: tangy, hot, sweet, and mellow.

LINGUINE WITH CHICKEN AND SPICY PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to bowl. Add green onions, 1/3 cup cilantro, pecans, garlic, jalapeño and dried red pepper to same skillet. Sauté until green onions wilt, about 2 minutes. Add pesto, chicken and any accumulated juices; stir to blend. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
• Bring sauce to simmer. Add linguine and reserved cooking liquid to sauce and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with additional cilantro. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.

PAN-SEARED CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the hot pan and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, place the pine nuts in a small dry skillet and set over medium heat. Toast the nuts until golden brown, about 3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Transfer the pine nuts to a blender or food processor and add cilantro, sour cream, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth, adding water, as necessary, to create a thick paste. Serve the chicken with the pesto spooned over the top.

ASIAN NOODLES WITH GINGER-CILANTRO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain noodles. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
• With processor running, drop ginger and chili through feed tube and mince. Add cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, 3 tablespoons broth and remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Process until mixture is almost smooth, adding more broth if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sauce to noodles and toss.

COLD GINGER PESTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan heat oil, add salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature and blend the oil with the ginger, green onions, cilantro, shallots, white pepper and in a food processor.
• Stir the macadamia nuts into the pesto.

CILANTRO CHICKEN WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, cilantro and jalapeno in a small bowl.
• Place chicken legs in a single layer in a baking dish; pour mixture over chicken and turn to coat.
• Place garlic cloves between the chicken in the baking dish; add 1/4 cup water and cover with aluminum foil.
• Cook in oven for 1.5 hours; remove foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to crisp the skin.
• The garlic should have roasted and can be squeezed over the chicken if desired.

CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the cilantro, cheese, sunflower seeds, lime juice, and jalapeño in a food processor and pulse to combine. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil. Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Bring to room temperature and stir before using.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PISTACHIO-CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast pistachios on baking sheet until golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer to processor. Maintain oven temperature. Add cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and next 3 ingredients to processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse paste forms. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup olive oil. Season pesto with pepper.
• Using fingers, gently loosen skin from 1 side of each chicken breast, forming pocket. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto evenly under skin of each. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down. Cook until skin is dark golden, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast chicken until cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Place 1/2 cup remaining pesto into small bowl. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Drizzle pesto sauce over chicken breasts and serve.

CILANTRO PESTO CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• In a food processor, finely chop the walnuts and garlic.
• Add cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper and process until finely chopped.
• With processor running, slowly add the oil to create a smoothe puree.
• Place chicken in large, resealable bag plastic bag, add the marinade and seal tightly.
• Make sure marinade is evenly distributed on all the chicken tenders.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Remove chicken from bag and thread on skewers.
• Grill over direct high heat for about 6 to 8 mins, turning over once.
• Serve warm with lime wedges.

CHICKEN WITH GINGER PESTO

Steps:

• Pour the white wine into a saucepan of lightly salted water, and place the chicken breasts into the pan. Bring the pan to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the chicken until cooked through and white, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let the chicken cool in the broth. Remove from the broth, and set the chicken aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, and stir in the ginger, garlic, salt, and sugar. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is browned and soft, and the oil is flavored, about 20 minutes. Stir in the green onions, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the white parts of the onions are soft.
• Slice the poached chicken breasts on the bias into slices about 1 inch wide, and arrange attractively on a plate. Spoon the green onion mixture over the chicken breasts, and serve.