PENSIONERS' DELIGHT: CHICKEN THIGHS, DOMINICAN STYLE: easy, low-fat, sugar & salt, frugal

A touch of the Caribbean brings summer holiday spirits to chicken as UK nights draw in...

Terrific flavours with or without a little heat
'lively and bright' taster

67goingon50 has become enamoured with M&S's higher welfare chicken, especially whole legs, which cost all of £1.20 for a 500gm/17.5oz package.

They're a double-duty delight; the legs divide easily into drums and thighs, making at least two meals. 

The drumsticks are teamed with onion, carrot, celery, ginger & garlic and covered with 3-4 inches of water to produce an intensely flavoured broth/soup stock.  No need need for granules or cubes!  Shred the meat and freeze for sandwiches or pies.

As for the chicken thighs...even in a cost-of-living crisis, a cook worries that people will be bored by them, especially if recipes are...well, a little pedestrian.

But this recipe - full of bright flavours - will shake them up, in a good way.

And for cook: the option of three easy cooking methods

Cost: £1.25'ish

Serves: 2-3, depending on size and number of thighs in the packet; recipe multiplies easily

Ingredients:

min 2, max 3 chicken thighs (skin on or off, according to worries about cholesterol)

Marinade/Sauce

1/3 cup ketchup (low sugar, if poss)

1 tsp soy sauce

min 1-max 2 tsp brown sugar, depending on taste 

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp chilli flakes (opt)

zest of 1 whole lime & juice of 1/2 lime

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled & grated (opt) - 67 didn't bother

          extra water or stock & lime  juice for sauce

Method:

1. Mix marinade ingredients ; pour into a sealable bag which fits the thighs
2. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut slits into the fleshy bit of the thigh meat without penetrating to the bone to encourage marinade to penetrate; add to bag 
3. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight; drain, keeping marinade
4. Grill in air fryer 5 mins each side until cooked through but still juicy 
5. Mix leftover marinade with a 1/3 cup stock; bring to a boil; turn heat right down, simmer at least 5 mins; if too thick, add more lime juice   
6. Serve thighs on rice with marinade poured over or served separately, accompanied by stir-fried Peppers, Carrots & Green Beans or frozen peas/  mixed veg 

Comments: 

'Brings chicken thighs to life again; the sauce is lively and bright.'  Retired writer

Tips:

• it's the lime that makes the flavours so good; in a pinch you could try lemon but the sauce might be under-powered
• this recipe will also work with chicken breasts but cooking time will be shorter 
• other cooking methods:

            a) bake: 25-30 mins at 180c/350f 

            b) braise: cook in marinade with 1/3 cup extra stock, in a covered pot on stovetop or covered casserole dish in oven 30-45 mins or until nearly falling apart (adding thin sliced strips of bell pepper to the pot would take care of your vegetable side!)

             c) fry: over med heat 7-10 mins each side 

                      Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.