Crispy Romesco Chicken With Rice
Double-coated panko chicken thighs over jasmine rice, with a five minute blender romesco and a sharp cilantro and chili green sauce.
Servings: 2
Calories: 1467kcal
Ingredients
For the crispy chicken
- 2 chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour 100g
- Salt and black pepper to season the flour
- 1 egg whisked
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs 100g
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the romesco sauce
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 jarred roasted bell peppers drained
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes
- ⅓ cup almonds 50g
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- Pinch of flaky salt
- Black pepper to taste
For the green sauce
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro 7g
- 1 garlic clove grated
- ½ red chili finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
To serve
- 2 portions cooked jasmine rice about 1 cup / 160g cooked each
- Parmesan for grating
Instructions
- Set out three plates: one with the flour seasoned well with salt and pepper, one with the whisked egg, and one with the panko.
- Press a chicken thigh into the flour on both sides, shake off the excess, dip into the egg, then press firmly into the panko. Repeat all three coatings a second time so the chicken has a thick crust. Set aside and repeat with the second thigh.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a large skillet to cover the base and set over medium heat. To check the oil is hot, stand a wooden chopstick in the pan touching the base; if bubbles form around it, it's ready. Fry the chicken for 5 minutes a side until deep golden, lowering the heat if it colors too quickly. Drain on paper towels.
- Meanwhile, blend the garlic, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, balsamic vinegar, paprika, olive oil, flaky salt and black pepper until smooth. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick, then taste and season.
- Microwave the romesco for a couple of minutes until piping hot, stirring once halfway. Loosen with a little more water if it has thickened.
- Finely chop the cilantro and stir it together with the grated garlic, chopped chili, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste and season; it should taste sharp and slightly spicy!
- Spread the cooked rice into a shallow bowl. Slice the chicken into thick strips and lay it over one side, spoon the romesco over the other, then spoon the green sauce down the middle. Grate over parmesan, add black pepper and serve. Enjoy, my friends!
Notes
- Step-by-step photos are in the blog post above.
- Coating the chicken twice is what keeps the crust crunchy under the sauce. Don't skip the second coating.
- Storage: store the three parts separately. Chicken keeps 3 days and re-crisps at 400F (200C) for 5 to 6 minutes. Romesco keeps 5 days or freezes for 3 months in an ice cube tray. Make the green sauce fresh.
- Swaps: chicken breast sliced into cutlets; hazelnuts for almonds; flat-leaf parsley for cilantro; gluten-free flour and panko.
Nutrition
Calories: 1467kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 119g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 41g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 340mg | Sodium: 1218mg | Potassium: 2256mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 11mg