Serves 4 to 6
Chicken quarters take longer to cook than smaller pieces. To ensure that the exterior doesn’t burn before the inside cooks through, keep the oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees while the chicken is frying. For an extra-hot version, see related recipe.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Mimicking the heat of this Nashville Hot Fried Chicken was harder than we anticipated. We created a spicy exterior to the chicken by “blooming" the spices (cooking them in oil for a short period) to create a complex yet still lip-burning spicy flavor. We added a healthy amount of hot sauce to our brine to inject spicy flavor into the chicken, making the flavor more than skin deep. Most Nashville Hot Fried Chicken recipes called for fiery cayenne pepper, but only a fraction of a teaspoon. Our Hot recipe calls for at least 12 times that amount.

Serves 4

We prefer the flavor and texture of thigh meat for this recipe, though an equal amount of boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used. It is easiest to grate the orange zest and remove the strips of orange peel before juicing the oranges; use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the strips. For extra spiciness, increase the cayenne added to the sauce to 1/2 teaspoon. The whole dried chiles are added for appearance, not for flavor, and can be omitted. To fry the chicken, use a Dutch oven or a straight-sided sauté pan (with at least 3-quart capacity); do not use a 12-inch skillet with sloped sides, as it will be too small to contain the oil once the chicken is added. White rice and steamed broccoli are good accompaniments.

Serves 6

You can substitute one clove of minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the Asian chili-garlic sauce.

Serves 6

This recipe relies on two unusual ingredients: soy sauce and tomato paste. Do not omit them. They don’t convey their distinctive tastes but greatly deepen the savory flavor of the filling. When making the topping, do not substitute milk or half-and-half for the heavy cream.

Serves 4

For the best results, buy similarly sized chicken breasts. If your breasts have the tenderloin attached, leave it in place and follow the upper range of baking time in step 1. For optimal texture, sear the chicken immediately after removing it from the oven.

Serves 4

Use any combination of white and dark meat. For even cooking, halve breasts crosswise and separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks.

Serves 4 to 6

Split chicken halves are whole chickens that have been split in two through the breastbone. Buy them at the market or see page 31 for instructions on how to prepare them yourself. Lee Kum Kee Tabletop Soy Sauce is our favorite supermarket brand.

KEY TO BOLD FLAVOR: MESQUITE
Authentic huli huli chicken is grilled over kiawe wood, from a hardwood tree that is a species of mesquite. The test kitchen finds mesquite wood chips too assertive for long-cooked chicken and pork dishes; after an hour or two, the smoke turns the meat bitter. But we liked them in this comparatively quick recipe. Our Huli Huli Chicken recipe will work with any variety of wood chips, but if you care about authenticity, mesquite is the chip of choice.
WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN
Assertive mesquite doesn’t always work, but we like it here.

Slow cooker instructions: http://sandynawrot.blogspot.com/2011/05/weekend-cooking-slow-cooker-revolution_28.html

Serves 4

SERVES 4-6
You can substitute three 11-ounce cans of tomatillos, drained and rinsed, for the fresh ones in this recipe. Halve large tomatillos (more than 2 inches in diameter) and place them skin-side up for broiling in step 2 to ensure even cooking and charring. If you can’t find poblanos, substitute 4 large jalapeño chiles (with seeds and ribs removed). To increase the spiciness of the sauce, reserve some of the chiles’ ribs and seeds and add them to the food processor in step 3.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
To re-create the enchiladas verdes recipes found in good Mexican restaurants, we needed a recipe for moist, tender chicken with fresh, citrusy flavors wrapped in soft corn tortillas and topped with just the right amount of cheese. Poaching the breasts kept the meat moist, while dark green poblano chiles and fresh (as opposed to canned) tomatillos gave us the flavors we were looking for. Pepper Jack cheese both in the filling and on top gave our enchiladas gooeyness and a spicy kick, and spraying the tortillas with vegetable oil kept them pliable.

Serves 6

To warm the tortillas, wrap them in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Top the tacos with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, diced avocado, tomato, and sour cream.