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Bon Appétit

Spicy Grilled Chicken with Crunchy Fennel Salad

5.0

(6)

photo of spicy grilled chicken recipe with raw fennel salad on a dark plate.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

This chicken packs some heat, which is why we paired it with a superclean and cooling crisp fennel salad. If fennel is not your thing, any shaved crunchy veg will do. Try radishes, carrots, or cucumbers instead.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

Chicken:

1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Kosher salt
2 garlic cloves
3 oil-packed anchovy fillets (optional)
1 red chile (such as Fresno or Holland), seeds removed, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. finely chopped oregano
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for grilling
2 lemons, halved
2 medium fennel bulbs, tough outer layers removed, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
1 small white onion, very thinly sliced into rounds
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. toasted white and/or black sesame seeds

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat chicken dry and season with salt. Set aside on a plate.

    Step 2

    Smash garlic under the flat side of a chef’s knife on your cutting board. Add anchovies, if using, chile, and a couple of pinches of salt and continue smashing with the side of your knife until a paste forms. (You can also do this with a mortar and pestle.) Transfer paste to a large bowl and stir in tomato paste, oregano, and 3 Tbsp. oil. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium heat. Clean and oil grate. Grill chicken, turning once, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

    Step 4

    While the chicken is cooking, grill lemons, cut side down, until lightly charred and starting to caramelize, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

    Step 5

    Transfer chicken to platter with lemons and let rest 5 minutes.

    Step 6

    While the chicken is resting, toss fennel, onion, and vinegar in a medium bowl; drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and season with a big pinch of salt and toss once more.

    Step 7

    Mound fennel salad next to chicken and sprinkle sesame seeds over both. Squeeze grilled lemons over chicken and fennel salad.

TagsChicken ThighChickenPoultryFennelRoot VegetableVegetableMainDinnerDairy FreeGluten FreeGrillingBon Appétit

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