Sesame-Lemon Chicken with a Crisp Phyllo Crust

Mary

It's snowing again on the east coast. I've measured 7 new inches and it's still falling. I had trouble getting the egg temperature to rise above 400F, but these were pretty good anyway. All that evaporative cooling from those thousands of snowflakes falling on the egg didn't help it much. At least this storm doesn't have a strong wind with it like last week's. Another day off tomorrow to dig out.[p]I got this recipe from the Fine Cooking web site, then made a few adjustments. This way of doing chicken breasts looks very elegant, is very tasty, but pretty easy to do. The egg, of course adds that little extra tiny bit of smoke flavor. I'll make these next time I have company.[p]
* Exported from MasterCook *[p] Sesame-Lemon Chicken with a Crisp Phyllo Crust[p]Recipe By :Elizabeth Terry is the chef/owner of Elizabeth on 37th in Savannah, Georgia. Adjustments made by Mary Buckingham
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:45
Categories : Poultry[p] Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

---

---

---

FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE:
6 Boneless Breast Halves -- (about 6 Oz. Each) skinless chicken
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. vegetable oil -- A good quality grapeseed or olive oil
3 Tbs. honey
1 Teaspoon Roasted Sesame Oil
2 Cloves garlic -- grated
2 tsp. Fresh Ginger
1 Pinch cayenne -- or heavy sprinkle to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 egg white[p] FOR THE COATING:
4 sheets Phyllo Dough -- (defrosted completely in the package (5 hrs.); don't open the box until ready to use)
4 Tbs. Vegetable Oil -- A good quality grapeseed or olive oil
1/2 Cup Sesame Seeds -- toasted[p]For the marinade--Rinse the chicken breasts, pat them dry, and make a few slashes in each. Combine the marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and add the chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.[p]For BGE: At least a half hour before ready to cook, fire BGE, place
firebricks in a row - 2 laid flat in center of grid and 2 on their sides at either end. These will support the baking sheet or you can put a grid on top of the bricks. Use a perforated grill dish; spray with PAM. Hold dome temperature at 500F.[p]To coat and cook the chicken--Heat the oven to 450 F and butter a baking sheet. Right before you are ready to roast the chicken, oil a sheet of phyllo, top with another sheet, oil that and repeat with the other two sheets. Cut the phyllo stack into 6 equal strips, about 3 " wide. Don't let the phyllo sheets dry out. Follow the directions below for wrapping the breasts and dipping the ends in the seeds. Set the prepared breasts on a buttered baking sheet (I used pam) and roast them until crisp, browned, and cooked through, 25 to 30 min.[p]An elegant wrap. Remove a breast from the marinade and let some of the
marinade drip off. Lay the breast at one end of a strip of phyllo and roll it up, leaving the ends exposed.[p]Dip both ends of the chicken into the sesame seeds to coat. Put the
breast, phyllo seam down, on the buttered baking sheet; repeat with other breasts. Brush the tops of the phyllo with oil before roasting.[p]Description:
"Crisp-Coated Chicken is Crunchy Outside, Juicy Inside"
Source: "From Fine Cooking #25, pp. 34-37.
NOTES : Sesame-Lemon Chicken gets extra crunch from flaky phyllo layers.

These breasts have a crinkly, golden phyllo crust and a nutty
flavor from the toasted sesame seeds.

These are easy to do despite the elegant crust on them. Don't
prepare the phyllo dough ahead; it will dry out.

Nature Boy

Mary,
Thanks for posting that. It sounds like it is worth trying. Let us know how it comes out when you do it, as it sounds delish.[p]NB

Mary

Nature Boy,
I did it yesterday. It was delicious, and surprisingly simple to do despite it's little jacket.[p]Mary

Gretl

Mary,
I'm really interested in trying this recipe. The chicken breasts were completely done in the center after 30 minutes? And the perforated grill that you mentioned...this the 2-piece broiler pan you have with your indoor oven, not the square thing with the round holes all over it, right? The marinade itself sounds wonderful, and I have a package of frozen phyllo ready to be thawed.
Thanks in advance,
Gretl

Mary

Gretl,
I had to modify the time and temps because with the snow, I couldn't get the egg up there. I used bricks for indirect heat and one of those perforated grill pans for stirfry. The original called for a baking sheet, so I think you have a fair amount of latitude here. They really were good.[p]Mary[p]