Grilled Chicken with Soy Sauce Tare

​This summer, I've found myself with a lot more time to reflect.  (A broken foot and a self quarantine in the midst of a global pandemic will do that a person.)  I've been looking back on how much has happened since we kicked off 2020 in what was an usually chilly, Georgia January. 

There's been some big moments in my life in the last six and a half months.  I took a once in a lifetime trip to Ireland with the love of my life.🇮🇪I spent weekend at the beach with some of my favorites. 🏖I was able to spend some quality time with my parents and my family at the lake. 🚤I learned how to celebrate holidays, birthdays and welcome new babies into our family in a whole new way while we practiced  social distancing. 🍰I transformed my catering business into a mass production of cookie kits while we navigated a mandatory quarantine.  And on top of all that, I broke and healed the fifth metatarsal in my right foot. 🦶🏻

Like everyone else, I've had my faire share of ups and downs in 2020.  I certainly didn't expect to spent 8 weeks of the summer on weight restriction from a broken foot but just like being faced with a pandemic - I had to learn to adapt to the circumstances.  I gathered up scraps of fabric and made face masks so we could go to the grocery store and I borrowed a knee scooter so I could transport a glass of water from the sink to the kitchen table.  😅🚰

Even though restaurants in Georgia have started to open up their dining rooms, we are still eating the majority of our meals at home.  We've ventured out for drinks and the occasional pizza but other than that, we're still gathering around our own kitchen table every night.  I'm not complaining because I really do love to cook and I've discovered some great new recipes. This grilled chicken was a really delicious.  It was WAY better than any grilled chicken that I've been served at a restaurant.  😉

Grilled Chicken with Soy Sauce Tare
Tare
1 cup mirin
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
6 dried shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce

Chicken
3 pounds split chicken breasts
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Combine tare ingredients (except soy sauce) in saucepan and cook until reduced by half. 

Add soy and return to a simmer.  Cool.  Pour through a strainer.  Reserve 1/3 c.

Cut 2 parallel slashes on each chicken breast, all the way to the bone.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Place chicken, skin side up on hot grill.  Cover and cook 10 minutes. 

Brush with reserved tare and continue cooking until temperature reaches 160.

Flip chicken and brush bone side of chicken with remaining tare.  (Reserving 3 T. tare)

Transfer chicken to a plate and squeeze 2 lemon wedges over it.  Top with scallions and drizzle with 3 T. reserved tare.   Let chicken rest 10 minutes before serving. 

Just a side note - do NOT throw away those delicious shitake mushrooms from the tare.  They are DELICIOUS!  Chop them up and put them in some soup or toss them on a salad - just don't let them go to waste. 

Ciao!

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