Braising chicken with charred limes adds bite but no bitterness thanks to rich peanuts and tomatoes. This recipe is from Lil’ Deb’s Oasis in Hudson, New York.
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
2
2
4
6
1
½
4
1
3
1
Special Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a dry small skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until very fragrant and just beginning to darken, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool. Reserve skillet.
Step 2
Finely grind seeds in spice mill or with mortar and pestle. Transfer ground cumin and coriander to a blender and add tomatoes, garlic, orange zest, ½ cup orange juice, ½ cup peanuts, and 1 cup water. Purée until sauce is smooth.
Step 3
Arrange 6 lime halves, cut side down, in reserved skillet and cook, undisturbed, over medium-high heat until charred, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.
Step 4
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, cook chicken, skin side down, until golden brown and crisp, 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Return chicken to pot and pour sauce over. Bring sauce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper; cover, leaving lid slightly askew. Cook, stirring in 2 charred lime halves halfway through (reserve remaining charred limes for serving), until chicken is very tender, about 1 hour.
Step 5
Transfer chicken to a platter, leaving sauce behind. Squeeze juice from uncharred lime into sauce. Add remaining ½ cup orange juice and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Spoon sauce over chicken. Top with herbs and more peanuts; drizzle with chili oil. Serve with reserved charred limes.
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Reviews (17)
Back to TopThe flavor of this wasn't anything like I expected. After reading the other reviews, I didn't cook put the charred limes in to braise with the chicken, but I had to keep squeezing limes into it to overcome the orange flavor. I would recommend not adding the orange juice in with the sauce, and instead using more tomatoes (and not medium tomatoes like it suggests, they just don't have flavor. Use a shit ton of cherry tomatoes). At the end, the flavor was definitely missing something. It just tasted like a watery, orange-y tomato sauce. I was pretty disappointed.
Katie
Detroit, MI
6/12/2023
I was not a fan of the sauce at all. The chicken turned out very moist, but I didn't like the marinade enough to justify making the recipe again. I think the orange conflicted with the peanut in a way that was not enjoyable.
Anonymous
NH
5/3/2020
This dish was absolutely delicious! To avoid bitterness, I just squeezed the grilled lime juice in rather than putting the whole lime half itself in during the braising process. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Anonymous
PORTLAND, OR
4/29/2020
I'm a big BA fan, but this recipe was a huge flop. In fact, it was so bad, that I'm compelled to write a review, which is something I never, ever do. The sauce tasted like raw, stewed tomatoes with way too much lime-y bitterness. Don't waste your time.
Anonymous
New York
4/28/2020
Heartily enjoyed this recipe. Not too complicated, and I ended up with a warm, savory, tangy sauce. I served this over basmati rice with generous amounts of chopped cilantro on top; it was even the better reheated the next day.
Anonymous
Upstate NY
4/21/2020
This turned out really great. No limes at the grocery so we used 3 lemons instead. After the chicken was cooked, we took the time to reduce the sauce even further, and used the juice of only one and a half lemon. Keep tasting and adding citrus and salt until you like it. Didn't experience any of the bitterness noted below. When you're plating, don't skimp on the dill or cilantro, it really brightens things up. And lastly, instead of chili oil we added chili crisp, and boy was that ever delicious.
Anonymous
Canada
4/10/2020
I really loved the recipe - A lot of complaints in the reviews were about tomatoes not being in season in January, but I use cherry tomatoes that are organic and it’s now almost April. This dish was divine! I am with some of the other reviewer’s who did not find the limes offensive, they were delicious and reminded me of summer :-)
Hharv001
Chicago
3/26/2020