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OxfordPress.com

Turkish chicken thighs

Food writer Victoria Abbott Riccardi has created half-a-dozen recipes for the ever-versatile chicken, and among them is this simply succulent and very low-fat dish using chicken thighs. "Consisting primarily of richer dark meat," she writes, "they are exceeding tender and flavorful."

To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly.

For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, as in braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.

In this dish with a Turkish influence, the acidity of the yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and keep it moist. If you can't find hot paprika, substitute 2 teaspoons sweet paprika and ¼ teaspoon cayenne.

End product should be served immediately.

Makes 4 servings

8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons hot paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons dried mint

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place chicken in large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Whisk yogurt, garlic, ginger, paprika, mint and salt in a separate bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade). Place the chicken on a broiler rack and broil until browned on top, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake until the chicken is juicy and just cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. (Thigh meat will appear dark pink, even when cooked through.) Serve immediately.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 138 calories, 4 g fat, 82 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, no fiber, 251 mg sodium.

Source - New York Times News Service