A South Florida chef heats things up in the kitchen with his chicken recipe. He shares his secret to making it deliciously, crispy in a Bite With Belkys.

The Chef: CJ Jacobson
The Restaurant: Aba, Bal Harbour
The Dish: Crispy Chicken Thigh

Ingredients:
Chicken Marinade:
5 Cloves Garlic (sliced)
½ cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 sprigs Thyme
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
4 Boneless Chicken Thighs
Pinch of salt

Green Harissa:
2 Tomatillos (each cut into 4 pieces)
2 Jalapenos (sliced)
1 bunch Green Onion (chopped)
½ tablespoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
1 cup chopped Parsley
1 cup chopped Cilantro
¼ cup Fresh Lime Juice
1 teaspoon Fish Sauce
Olive Oil (as needed)
Salt (to season)

Crispy Chicken Thigh Dish
4 Marinated Chicken Thighs
Green Harissa
½ cup Yogurt (salted and at room temperature)
4 Piparra Peppers

Method of Preparation:
To prepare the Chicken Marinade:

Simmer garlic cloves and olive oil until lightly golden.
Remove the garlic cloves and olive oil from the heat to cool to room temperature.
Add in soy sauce, thyme and smoke paprika.
Once cooled, add in a pinch of salt and massage the marinade into the boneless chicken thighs.
Marinate overnight for optimal flavor, or continue to prepare right away.

To prepare the Green Harissa:

Pre-heat oven to 450°F.
Add tomatillo hunks, green onions and jalapenos to a bowl. Toss with olive oil and season with salt.
Roast tomatillo mixture in oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown (with some burn spots to be expected).
Allow to cool.
Once cool, add roasted tomatillo mixture to a blender. Add in cinnamon, black pepper, parsley, cilantro, lime juice and fish sauce.
Purée until smooth. Season with salt as needed.
Refrigerate until needed.

To prepare the plated Crispy Chicken Thighs with Green Harissa and Piparra Peppers:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cook each marinated chicken thigh skin-side down in a nonstick pan on low. Place another pan on top to caramelize.
After 10 minutes, or until brown, flip the thigh over and put the skinless side-down in an oven-safe dish. Put in the oven for 10 minutes.
Warm the green harissa on the stovetop on low. Season with salt as needed.

To Plate:

Spoon 3 oz of green harissa onto each plate.
Swoosh a tablespoon of yogurt through the middle of the plated green harissa.
Slice the chicken thigh as desired, then place on top of the yogurt and green harissa.
Top with one piparra pepper per plate.

Enjoy immediately!

Aba
(located in Bal Harbour Shops)
9700 Collins Ave Suite 101, Bal Harbour, FL 33154
(305) 677-2840
https://www.abarestaurants.com/miami/

Crispy Chicken Thigh / Aba, Bal Harbour

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