Raspberry-Chile Chicken Thighs
This wax-type chile originated in Hungary and was brought to the US in the 1930′s. Yellow chiles of several different varieties are a staple in Eastern European cuisine. These chiles can be pickled, battered and fried or used in salsas and salads.Hungarian Wax chiles have alot of flavor without the bitter aftertaste that you can get from many of the green types of chile. Try substituting some of these in your chile recipes next time.
Prep time: 20 min / Total time: 1 hr. 50 min. / Serves 6 (2 thighs)
12 chicken thighs (about 5 pounds
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgen olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups seedless raspberry preserves
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 fresh Wax chile peppers, roasted, peeled, stems and seeds removed, and diced)
2 lemons, juiced (about 6 tablespoons juice)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt. Heat oil and butter in a large flameproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 6 pieces chicken; sear, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from pan and add remaining 6 pieces of chicken; repeat procedure. Return all chicken to roasting pan.
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine preserves, vinegar, chile, and juice; cook just until boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer until slightly thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
3. Place preserves mixture in a blender*; process until slightly smooth (I skipped this step because I wanted to be able see the chile pieces in the final photograph). Pour preserves mixture over chicken; sprinkle evenly with paprika and cayenne pepper. Cover with foil; bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake until chicken is complexity cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted into theickes part reads 165ºF, about 15 minutes. Serve.
*Note: Be cautious when blending hot foods; the contents expand rapidly, causing a risk of scalding. To be safe, before blending, remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), secure lid on blender, and place a towel over opening in lid (to avoid splatters).