Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs with Lime-Sesame BBQ Sauce
Boneless skinless chicken thighs, pan-fried to crispy perfection, served with a delicious lime-sesame BBQ sauce with Asian flavors.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs, pan-fried to crispy perfection, served with a delicious lime-sesame BBQ sauce with Asian flavors.
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp honey
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder ((to taste))
- flour ((for dredging))
- peanut oil ((for frying; or sunflower oil))
- 1 package pasta ((spaghetti linguine or whatever is you favorite))
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds ((toasted for garnish))
- 2 tbsp green onions ((sliced optional; for garnish))
- 1 cup bbq sauce ((your favorite kind))
- 2 tbsp peanut oil ((or vegetable oil))
- 2 cloves garlic ((pressed))
- 1 inch ginger root ((minced))
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper ((seeded and minced))
- Carbohydrate 24.50833755177 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.0547000087788 g
- Fiber 5.09989064038518 g
- Protein 8.47003596165344 g
- Saturated Fat 0.567490001223412 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (361g)
- Sodium 20.69781255808 mg
- Sugar 19.4084469113849 g
- Trans Fat 0.46439000119941 g
- Calories 144 calories
Step-by-step
- Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess, then set aside.
- Add about a 1/4 inch of oil to a large skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the chicken and fry it, undisturbed for about 8 minutes, until crispy and deep golden brown. Flip and continue frying for another 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start boiling a pot of water and prepare pasta as per the instructions on the package. Drain the pasta, place back in the pot, add two teaspoons of oil, mix well, cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
- In parallel, when available, start preparing the BBQ sauce by heating two tablespoons of peanut oil in a sauce pan. Add the garlic, ginger, and the minced jalapeno pepper and cook over medium heat until the veggies are soft. Add the rest of the ingredients, simmer for 5 minutes and set aside while keeping the sauce warm.
- Assemble by making a bed of pasta in a bowl, topping with crispy chicken and pouring the sauce over. Garnish with green onions, if desired, or other greens and toasted sesame seeds. Alternatively you can dip chicken pieces in the sauce and serve the rest of the sauce on the side.
Boiling the pasta water while the chicken fries keeps the workflow moving without overcooking the noodles. Achieving maximum crispness requires letting the chicken sit undisturbed in the skillet for eight minutes per side. Deep golden brown crusts form through the Maillard reaction as proteins and sugars brown in the hot peanut oil. Soy sauce provides free amino acids that boost savory depth, while fresh lime juice adds necessary citric acid to cut through the heavy fats. Honey caramelizes slightly when simmered with the aromatics, balancing the sharp heat from the minced jalapeno. Dredging the meat in flour creates a barrier that protects the inner moisture while grabbing onto the pan heat. Peanut oil offers a high smoke point necessary for frying without scorching the spices. Swapping peanut oil for sunflower oil yields identical thermal stability. Toss drained pasta with two teaspoons of oil immediately to prevent sticking while the sauce finishes simmering. Toasting sesame seeds releases aromatic volatile oils just before plating.
