Mojito Chicken over Crab Yuca Hash with Avocado Ensalada
This restaurant-style chicken thigh dish is used for catering and meals for board members at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, N.C. The dish layers yuca and crab sauté with diced tomatoes, avocados and chicken thighs served in a tower with mojito sauce.
Ingredients
2 cups peeled, 1⁄2-in. diced yuca
1 tbsp. olive oil
1⁄2 cup diced orange bell pepper
1⁄2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
6 oz. blue fin crab claw meat, picked well
1⁄2 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1⁄4 cup thin-sliced scallions
1 tsp. oil
9 large ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. chopped fresh garlic
2 medium-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted
1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄8 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1⁄2 tsp. cumin
1⁄8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves
6 Tyson ProPortion skin-on chicken thighs, deboned
3 Tyson ProPortion skinless chicken thighs, deboned
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. whole fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp. sugar
1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
6 oz. Bacardi white rum
5 oz. sparkling water
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 ripe plantains, peeled
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. lime zest
1 tbsp. chiffonade fresh mint
3⁄4 cup assorted microgreens
Steps
1. Bring saucepan of water to a boil. Boil yuca in water until tender, strain. Add 1 tsp. of olive oil to sauté pan and heat. Sauté peppers for 2 minutes, add crabmeat and yuca. Sauté for another 2 minutes, then add vegetable stock. Simmer for 4 minutes. Add scallions at end, stirring everything together until well incorporated. Keep warm until ready for plating.
2. Heat sauté pan on medium-high with 1 tsp. oil. Once hot, add tomatoes, thyme and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes; set aside.
3. In bowl, combine avocado, sour cream, salt, chipotle chili powder, cumin, cayenne and cilantro. Gently mash until combined and somewhat chunky. Place in covered container with plastic wrap against avocado to prevent oxidation; refrigerate.
4. Season chicken thighs with 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Sear over medium heat in pan with 1 tsp. olive oil, until skin is golden brown; flip. Turn down heat to medium-low and cook until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.
5. Meanwhile, crush whole mint leaves and sugar to paste in mortar and pestle. Put mint paste in pan chicken was seared in and stir over medium heat. Add lime juice and rum, stir to loosen all chicken bits on bottom of pan, then simmer for 1 minute; add sparkling water. Make slurry with cornstarch and ¼ cup water and thicken sauce. Strain sauce and set aside. Keep warm.
6. Using mandoline, gently slice plantains lengthwise. Put canola oil in sauté pan and turn to medium-high. Cook plantains in hot oil for 1 minute; flip. Cook on second side until golden brown, about 1 minute.
7. Assemble plate by stacking crab and yuca, tomato mixture and avocado ensalada in mold. Remove mold and top with chicken, then plantains. Pour sauce on plate, gently place lime zest and chiffonade of mint on sauce. Toss microgreens with few drops of olive oil and place on top of plantains.
Recipe by WakeMed Health & Hospitals, Raleigh, N.C.