Chicken Papaya Salad Recipes

THAI GRILLED CHICKEN WITH THAI GREEN PAPAYA SALAD (GAI YANG WITH SOM TAM)

Steps:

• For the Thai grilled chicken: Spatchcock each chicken by placing it breast-side down on a cutting board with the legs closest to you. Use kitchen shears to cut down the backbone. Flip the chicken over and press down in the center of the breast to flatten. Prick the skin side all over with a fork.
• Add the cilantro roots, fish sauce, palm sugar, peppercorns, oyster sauce, turmeric, salt and 4 cloves of the garlic to a food processor. Process until all the peppercorns are broken up and a chunky paste is formed.
• Rub the chicken all over with the paste (including under the skin) and marinate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Meanwhile, cook the remaining 8 cloves garlic with the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, capturing the oil in a small bowl beneath. Spread the garlic on a plate to cool; reserve for serving.
• Before grilling, bring the chicken to room temperature for an hour. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil over the chicken.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a double-burner grill pan over medium heat.
• Place chickens skin-side down on the grill pan at a 45 degree angle. Cook until marked by the grill pan, flipping once to create crosshatches, about 5 minutes. Transfer skin-side up to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
• Trim off the spiky top and the base from the lemongrass, peel off the first few outer layers and then bruise the stalk with the heel of a chef's knife; this helps release the flavorful oils. Using the bruised lemongrass as a brush, baste the chickens all over with some of the remaining garlic oil.
• Cook in the oven until the chickens are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes. For the last 2 minutes of baking, switch the oven to broil.
• Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes and then cut each into pieces. Garnish with the reserved garlic.
• For the Thai green papaya salad: Add the garlic, chiles, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice to a food processor. Process until a chunky paste is formed. (At this point you can adjust the flavor to your liking; add more fish sauce for a saltier taste, more lime juice to make the salad more sour.)
• Transfer the paste to a large bowl and add the papaya, long beans, tomatoes and the dried shrimp and 1 tablespoon of the peanuts if using. Mix together by hand, rubbing the paste into the salad, making sure to coat everything.
• Transfer the salad to a serving dish, making sure to get all the dressing. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon peanuts if using.

EASY PAPAYA CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut up whole frying chicken into pieces, or chicken breasts into halves. I like to use bone in/skin on because I think the meat is moister. I remove the skin and bones before I put the sauce over it all.
• Dredge the chicken pieces in flour, set aside. Sometimes I use chicken coating mix, just to spice this up a bit more.
• In a roaster or large casserole dish melt butter, dip the chicken in the butter and place buttered side up.
• Bake the chicken for one hour or until juices run clear and the chicken is tender.
• Carefully drain the fat out of the roaster, discard the skin and bones if necessary.
• For the sauce: Mix remaining ingredients in a saucepan (except the papaya) and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling and thickened add the papaya to the chicken in the roaster.
• Pour the sauce over all, and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.
• Let this mixture stand for 5 more minutes before serving, so the papaya can heat through.
• If you serve this dish with rice, double the sauce recipe.

JERK CHICKEN SALAD WITH PAPAYA

Steps:

• Chicory is made up of leaves attached to quite a solid base, so feel where the leaves start and slice them off. Thickly slice the base and set aside.
• Open out the chicken thighs and put them in a bowl with 1 tsp of the oil, the lime juice, jerk seasoning and oregano. Stir well, then griddle the chicken for 10 mins, turning once. Take off the griddle, cover with a plate and leave to rest while you quickly griddle the chicory slices.
• Meanwhile, put the redcurrant jelly, vinegar and remaining oil in a big bowl and mix well. Add the papaya and avocado, then the chicory leaves, but don't mix yet. Chop the chicken, add to the salad with the griddled chicory, then toss well. Pile on plates, squeeze over the remaining lime and serve while still warm, with new potatoes, if you like.