National Chicken Cooking Contest 2009
Grand winner – $50,000
Brigitte Nguyen, Chinese Chicken Burgers with Rainbow Sesame Slaw
Judges Choice winner – $10,000
Elise Lalor, Butterflied Chicken with Herbs and Sticky Lemon
Did you know that we eat about 85 pounds of poultry per person each year? I’ve just come back from the 48th national chicken cooking contest. It’s held every other year and the first one was held in 1949. I don’t think we realize what goes into organizing a contest of this scale. Here’s some numbers that will show you what i mean. There were over 10,000 entries for the contest and these are all checked to make sure they’re original. Then there are regional selections. There are 9 regions throughout the us. The recipes are judged and one winner is selected from each region. The 9 finalists, were flown to San Antonio to cook their recipes for
Chicken Information:
First, the question of hormones. There are no artificial or added hormones in any chickens in the us. This is a law here that is regulated by the USDA. So whether it says it on the package or not there are no added hormones.
Another question I’m asked is about free range chickens. This is what the law says. Chickens can be called free range if they are allowed free access to the outside. I’ve seen many chicken coops where they do have free access, but they all seem to stay inside because the food and water is easy access for them. So I’m not sure what it really means to buy a free range chicken.
Fresh is another question. What does it mean when it’s labeled as fresh. It means the chicken has never been below 26 degrees. When i pick up a chicken at the market, many times it feels frozen or there are ice crystals. This means that it has been deep chilled, to keep it fresh but not frozen to 26 degrees.
Recipe courtesy of the National Chicken Cooking Contest sponsored by the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. Visit www.chickencookingcontest.com and www.eatchicken.com for more great chicken recipes.
Chinese Chicken Burgers with Rainbow Sesame Slaw
Brigitte Nguyen
Lexington,Kentucky
2 pounds ground chicken
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
1/3 cup sliced scallions
6 hamburger buns with sesame seeds
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
sliced scallions
Sriracha Lime Mayo: recipe follows
Rainbow Sesame Slaw: recipe follows
In large bowl, mix together ground chicken, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, lemongrass and scallions. Divide mixture into 6 patties and set aside. Place grill pan over medium heat. Spread softened butter on hamburger buns and place on grill pan until light brown. Wipe grill pan with paper towel and brush with vegetable oil. Place chicken patties on grill pan and cook over medium high heat, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 7 minutes per side. During last few minutes of cooking, baste each burger with 1 tablespoon of the hoisin sauce. To assemble, place 1 tablespoon Sriracha Lime Mayo on each bottom and top bun. Place chicken on bun bottoms and top each with 1/3 cup Rainbow Sesame Slaw. Serve with any remaining slaw and mayo on the side. Garnish with scallions. Makes 6 servings.
Sriracha Lime Mayo: In small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup mayonnaise; zest and juice of 1 lime; and 2 tablespoons Sriracha Chile Sauce. Set aside.
Rainbow Sesame Slaw: In medium size bowl, mix together 2/3 cup julienne peppers (red, orange, yellow or any combination); 2/3 cup julienned snow peas, strings removed; 2/3 cup julienned jicama; 1-1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon Sriracha Chile Sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds.
Butterflied chicken with Herbs and Sticky Lemon
Elise Lalor, Issaquah, WA
Judges Choice winner at the 48th National Chicken Cooking Contest
Flattened… butterflied… spatchcocked… it’s all the same thing and it refers to removing the backbone and breastbone (keel bone) from a chicken. This allows the chicken to lay flat, and speeds up the cooking time a little, too.
1 whole chicken, back bone and breast bone removed and flattened (see note below)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 sprigs rosemary
10 long sprigs thyme
10 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. On cookie sheet, place rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs and garlic. Arrange flattened chicken on top and sprinkle with olive oil. Place chicken in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Pour sherry vinegar over chicken and cook additional 15 minutes. Place lemon slices over chicken. In small bowl, mix together honey and chipotle sauce; brush over lemon slices. Bake chicken additional 10-15 minutes, brushing with honey sauce (use foil to cover chicken if it starts to burn.) Test for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. It should register 180 degrees. Remove chicken to platter and sprinkle with almonds and parsley. Makes 4 servings.
To butterfly chicken:
Place the chicken on a cutting board with the backbone facing you. Using a poultry shears or a sharp knife, cut down one side of the backbone from neck to tail and then the other side. Remove the bone. Turn the chicken over and cut out the breast bone without cutting through the skin.