Grilled Chicken Thighs

Braai Curry Spice, Chakalaka Vinaigrette, Coriander Seed, Basil, Radicchio, and Grapefruit

Chef Brad Kilgore of The Concours Club | Opa-locka, FL
Yield: 4 servings

Adapted by StarChefs | October 2021

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken Thigh Wet Cure:
4 each boneless skin-on free range chicken thighs
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
1 each juice of lime

Braai Curry Spice Blend:
2 tablespoons cardamom pods
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons sea salt

Chakalaka Juice Vinaigrette:
2 each carrots, large and peeled
2 each red bell peppers
1 each red jalapeno or fresno pepper
1 each ripe roma tomato
1⁄4 each vidalia onion
1.5 cup Chakalaka Juice from above
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons peeled and sliced fresh ginger
1 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoons raw local honey
1 tablespoon sea salt

Coriander Seed Oil:
½ cup coriander seeds
¾ cup grapeseed oil

Assembly:
½ cup sweet basil leaves, torn
2 cups heart of palm, sliced thin
2 cups torn radicchio leaves
2 each ruby red grapefruit, segmented

METHOD:

For the Chicken Thigh Wet Cure:
Mix together everything but the chicken thighs. Rub the chicken thighs thoroughly with the cure 4 to 8 hours before cooking (can be done in the morning and then cooked in the evening). Before cooking, scrape off the excess cure with a spoon, it doesn't have to be perfect!

For the Braai Curry Spice Blend:
Toast the first half of the ingredients in a pan for 30 seconds or until the become aromatic but color hasn’t darkened. Let cool to room temp then fold with the paprika, cayenne, and sea salt. Using a spice grinder pulse the spice and salt blend until broken up but not powder, if you like you can do this by hand in a mortar and pestle. 

For the Chakalaka Juice Vinaigrette:
In a vegetable juicer, pass the vegetables through after cutting the appropriate size (this can be done in a blender by adding 1⁄4 cup of water and pulsing to break up the vegetables and straining through a fine mesh screen). Take 1 ½ cups of the Chakalaka juice and stir together with remaining ingredients. Keep reserved in the cooler.

For the Coriander Seed Oil:
Toast the coriander seeds in a pan for 30 seconds or until they become aromatic but before they change color, once very hot add the grapeseed oil. Pour the still warm coriander seed oil mixture into a blender and pulse 4-5 times in the blender. Strain through a fine mesh screen. Reserved in the cooler

To Assemble and Serve:
Turn the grill on medium heat. Season the cured chicken thighs with the Braai Curry Spice Blend generously, drizzle with grapeseed oil (cooking oil). Cook the thighs skin side up for the first 8-10min, place in the cooler area of the grill and not directly over large flames. You are looking to gently cook but get some char along the way. Turn the chicken thighs over so the skin side is down and render the skin and get some nice char and color (not too burnt). Cook to an internal temperature of 160 F or 72 C. Pull the charred chicken thighs off the grill to rest to 165 F or 73 C. While the chicken is resting, finish the salad preparations. In a medium sized bowl, toss the heart of palm, basil leaves, grapefruit segments, and radicchio together with some sea salt, evenly distributed into the center of the four bowls. Next pour the chakalaka juice onto and around the salad mixture to fill the bottom of the bowls (reserve a little of the vinaigrette for the chicken). Drizzle one tablespoons of the coriander seed oil on and around the salad and Chakalaka Vinaigrette. Slice the rested chicken thighs each into 5-6 slices and place one chicken thigh on each salad. Season the chicken with the remaining chakalaka juice and another pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately with a lime wedge.

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