chicken marinades ???

[stellanoir]

I'm sure this is a request that's been addressed many times here but a friend and I were messing around with ingredients prior to a BBQ last year and it turned out really well.

She remembers using peanut butter, rice vineger, garlic, ginger soy, and olive oil but I've a feeling she's forgeting something.

Any suggestions. . .or alternate recipes would be greatly appreciated.

Another friend just recommended lemon, garlic, and tons of pepper.

[cmf]

1. I like to marinate chicken in yogurt

It really keeps it moist. To plain lowfat yogurt (if you want really decadent, use full fat) I usually add some garam masala, crushed garlic, grated ginger, hot pepper of some sort (like chili flakes or cayenne), chopped cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Remove the skin from the chicken, add it to the yogurt mixture and let that maranate a good while and then grill it. It works really well for chicken on the bone, because you can cook it through without it charring or drying out.

That peanut recipe sounds intriguing, it's kind of like chicken satay. I'd probably add a little bit of sugar, unless your peanut butter is already really sweet, and I'd probably mix in some Thai curry paste if you have some on hand.

[Warpy]

2. Hoisin sauce

That's what she forgot. A little crushed red pepper for a kick might be nice, too. Hoisin is the classic base for Asian barbecue.

Marinade for stir fry is just cornstarch, egg white, and a little white wine.

I do a different marinade every time I grill anything. I mostly just throw stuff into a bowl until it smells right.

You can't go wrong with lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper, crushed garlic, and olive oil for chicken. Keep some aside for dipping later, uncontaminated by raw chicken.

Skip the lemon for beef marinade, add red wine.

[eleny]

4. Hoisin with peanut butter - downright decadent!

It sounds like a really good combination.

[Warpy]

5. It is, I use it quite frequently

in the sauce for dondon noodles and for a barbecue sauce.

That's how I knew...

[mike_c]

3. garlic, cilantro, black pepper, salt, oil....

Puree a head or two of peeled garlic, generous salt, and one or two bunches of cilantro (depends on how much chicken) in a little oil. Mix in a bunch of cracked black pepper (spice grinder or mortar/pestle). You should have a smooth green paste with lots of black pepper. Coat the chicken well, let it sit in a ziplock for at least a couple of hours before grilling. The salt will brine the chicken in the bag, using it's own juices, helping the griled chicken to stay moist and pulling the garlicy cilantro infusion in too.

Re Warpy's suggestion for stirfrying-- I slice the chicken into strips or pieces first, then brine it for an hour or more-- for a marinade/brine try 1 cup white wine, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp salt-- drain and dry, then toss with cornstarch before throwing it into the hot wok. Any other marinade flavors should work too as long as they're water soluble-- the brine not only draws the flavor into the chicken, but it plumps the pieces with moisture so they don't dry out.

[Tab]

6. I like to brine instead

Water with salt and some sugar, heated to melt the sugar, infused with spices. Salt draws the spices in to exchange - just don't overdo it (maybe 90 mins in the fridge at best, depending on your recipe and what you're bringing (e.g.: boned or not)), otherwise it tastes like ham, but if you get it right, it's excellent.