I’m so excited to share this particular recipe as the first real post here on OgleFood. It is special for a few reasons. First, it was inspired by an ingredient discovered through a song. The tune Cup of Brown Joy and Gentleman Rhymer Professor Elemental have been favorites since we discovered them at Dragon*Con. For Christmas, Chris and I each received a tin of tea listed in the song from his brother Eric, also a fan of the good Professor. A practical gift as we’ve been drinking Earl Gray like it’s (heaven forbid) going out of style. I got oolong, a mild black tea close in flavor and color to green tea. Chris got Lapsang Souchang, pictured above with our electric kettle and the better of our tea balls.
I must take a moment to mention Amanzi Tea. For a small local company based in Greenville with only one retail location, they offer a wide selection of teas. For my local readers, they offer a full service tea bar. For those further away, they offer a refund if you don’t like the tea you’ve ordered. I wouldn’t be able to recommend ordering from them online otherwise. I’ve had tea-fail in the past even with buying it in person – smelled awesome, tasted awful – and while good tea is worth every penny when you enjoy it, the price on a dud is far too high.
I hope all this talk of tea has peeked interest in how tea and chicken go together. Before smelling Lapsang Souchang (I’ve also seen it spelled Lapsang Souchong and it appears to be the same tea), I wouldn’t have imagined marinating chicken in tea. I confess, I first thought of marinating pork chops or a pork roast upon smelling these unusual tea leaves. I would still like to try this recipe with pork, but chicken breasts are a staple in our freezer.
The tea gets it’s uniqueness from being dried over pine wood fires for a flavor which can only be described as “smokey.” Smoky tea and smoky chicken are the shorthand for the beverage and food, respectively, in our house.
The ingredient list is short. Minus the boneless skinless chicken breasts (I use the frozen ones from Costco), everything I use is pictured above. I’d call this a toss together recipe. Most of the ingredients are eyeballed and to taste.
To borrow from Alton Brown, here’s the software you’ll need:
Thawed boneless skinless chicken breasts (I’ve used as few as three and as many as six, but as long as the liquid covers your chicken, you’re good to go.)
2 teaspoons Lapsang Souchang
1/2 to 1 cup cup oil (I’ve used olive oil, but any cooking oil will do.)
2 tablespoons Shawarma spice mix
Juice from one tangerine (I’ve only used the juice once. To be honest it didn’t change the flavor. My theory was the acid from the citrus fruit would speed the marinading process. Can’t be sure if it did or didn’t, but no harm either way.)
Prep (or the method I use to throw it all together):
First things first, brew your tea. I use about twenty ounces of boiling water with two teaspoons of tea, brewed for seven or eight minutes. Once brewed, cool resulting tea. I filer it into the dressing shaker pictured and refrigerate, but leaving it at room temperature would be fine. The key is to not boil your chicken with it like I did the first time I made it. In my brain, it works best to brew the tea when I pull the chicken to thaw. After all, remembering to thaw chicken ahead of time is some serious thinking ahead.
Once your chicken is thawed and tea cooled, place chicken in your favorite marinading vessel. Something deep with a sealing lid is best. Add tea, oil and spices. If you’d like to add the tangerine, squeeze the fruit, strain seeds and pulp, before adding. Use a little more oil if your chicken is sticking out of the liquid.
Cover and refrigerate at least two hours. Like any marinade, longer is better. I’ve not left it for more than six hours, but overnight would be fine, no doubt, if you’re the plan ahead type. Since the meat is submerged, there is no need to fuss with it during the marinade time.
Cooking: Broil for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping at the midpoint. Safety first, check for doneness before serving. Let rest for five minutes before serving.
Whatever method you typically use for chicken breasts would work. I do, however, recommend broiling over baking when it comes to boneless skinless chicken breasts no matter what the recipe. The shorter cooking time makes for juicer meat.
If I’m cooking four or fewer chicken breasts, I pop them in the toaster oven on the broil setting. Chris might tell you, I simply enjoy saying “there’s chicken in the toaster” but it is a practical savings of electricity and, in the summer, heat in the kitchen.
My last batch, fresh out of the toaster:
Plated with Le Sueur peas:
Happy Eating!