Brazilian Beer-Marinated Chicken
Steven Raichlen flavors this speedy chicken dish with Xingu (a Brazilian black lager that has a distinctive colalike flavor), plus mustard and onion—evoking the classic combination of beer and bratwursts. "The marinade brings a lot of flavor to a meat that really needs it," he says.
- Active:
- Total Time:
- Servings: 4
- Time(Other): plus 4 hr marinating
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- Four 1/4-inch slices of peeled fresh ginger, smashed
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 cups dark lager or stout, preferably Xingu Black Beer (see Note)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Four 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges, for serving
How to make this recipe
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In a shallow dish, mix the garlic, ginger, onion, paprika, salt, black pepper, caraway seeds, green pepper, mustard, beer and oil. Add the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning a few times.
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Light a grill. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill over high heat until nicely browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a platter and brush with the melted butter. Scatter the cilantro over the top and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Xingu Black Beer is an anise-scented, bittersweet black lager from Brazil. It's available in most states.
Suggested Pairing
Raichlen uses Brazilian lager in this dish, but stout is a fine substitute. Two great American stouts that will taste delicious with this chicken are the Samuel Adams Cream Stout, with its deep roasted-malt notes, and the espresso-scented Deschutes Obsidian Stout.
