Blood Orange Margarita Chicken Topped With Fried Shallots is one of my favorite recipes. The chicken is so flavorful and easy to do you’ll want to make it all the time. The best thing is, you can marinate the chicken in advance. I like to do it overnight so the next day I can just throw the chicken into the oven when I’m ready.
Today I’m going to use this chicken fat to make my roasted potatoes. I think these potatoes will be a great accompaniment to my Blood Orange Margarita Chicken Topped With Fried Shallots.
I’m also going to serve a side of Mocha Chili Spiced Roasted Asparagus.
I’ve posted a link at the end of this post that you might like called, Knowing Your Butcher. I share a few really great tips and tricks. Links for both are available at the bottom of this post.
For this recipe, ask your butcher to remove the bones from the chicken breast, leaving the skin intact.
I’ve posted a link at the end of this post that you might like called, Knowing Your Butcher. I share a few really great tips and tricks.
For this recipe, ask your butcher to remove the bones from the chicken breast, leaving the skin intact.
Steve grills love to grill chicken thighs but he doesn’t use the skins. I like to repurpose the skins and render out the chicken fat. Basically, it’s similar to saving your bacon drippings.
Tip: In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the chicken skins until all the fat is completely rendered out, around 15 minutes. Transfer the melted chicken fat to a jar, let cool completely, then refrigerate.
Prep Time: 15 minutes (includes cutting potatoes and slicing shallots)
Inactive Prep Time: overnight
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yields: 2 to 4 servings
Equipment: 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, large zip-lock baggie, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, 1 (3-quart) saucepan, chef’s knife, tongs
Ingredients:
4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts
1 cup of blood orange juice
5 limes, zested and juiced
2 tablespoon lime zest
1 cup of Tequila, silver
5 cloves whole garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of Fresno chili, seeded and minced
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoon, Kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, divided
8 Red Bliss potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 tablespoons of chicken fat, melted
Fried Shallots:
4 large shallots, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rings
2 cups of Canola oil
Directions:
The night before, marinate the chicken. Place 4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts into a large (gallon size) zip lock bag. Add freshly squeezed lime juice, lime zest, silver Tequila, blood orange juice, whole cloves of garlic peeled and smashed, minced Fresno chili, olive oil, chili powder 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper, Release all the air from the bag then seal closed. Massage the chicken breasts so they’re all coated in the marinade.
Preheat oven to 425-degrees F.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chicken fat. Once melted remove from the heat and set aside.
Start by quartering the potatoes and adding them into a large mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper, and the melted chicken fat. Toss to combine. Spread the potatoes out in one even layer onto a baking sheet pan. Cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside. Turn them once after 12 minutes to ensure they don’t stick. Once finished, cover the baking sheet with foil to keep potatoes hot.
Adjust the oven temperature to 350-degrees F.
Using a pair of tongs, transfer the 4 chicken breasts to a baking sheet pan. Cook for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165-degrees F. Remove from the oven and cover, with foil, to keep warm.
Note: Times may vary slightly so keep a close watch so as not to burn the shallots.
Directions For Frying Shallots:
While the chicken is cooking, slice the shallots into thin rings. Place them into a saucepan containing 2 cups of room temperature Canola oil (or another neutral oil).
Turn the heat up to medium and watch the shallots bubble. Those bubbles are the water evaporating off of the shallots.
Once they begin to bubble, about 5 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low. Fry the shallots for 18 minutes. Watch carefully, stirring frequently, until they’re golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. When the bubbles subside, that signifies the moister has cooked off and the shallots should be golden brown. Using a *spider, transfer the fried shallots to a plate lined with a paper towel. While the fried shallots are still hot, salt to taste.
Note: Allow the oil to cool completely. Store in a jelly jar with a tight-fitting lid for salads or future sautés.
Serve on a large platter family-style. There you have it, my Blood Orange Margarita Chicken With Fried Shallots.
*Spider: A wide shallow wire-mesh basket with a long handle used for removing hot food from a liquid. A traditional Chinese kitchen tool.
https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/12/04/tips-and-tricks/
https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/
