Ingredients
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed
- 4 cloves garlic, 2 smashed, 2 minced
- 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
- 6 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
Preparation
Step 1
1. Light the grill or heat the broiler. In a blender or food processor, puree the
-jalapeños,
-smashed garlic cloves,
-the 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems,
-the fish sauce, -
cooking oil, -
sesame oil, and
-1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
Put the chicken in a shallow dish and coat it with the cilantro puree.
2. Grill the chicken over moderately high heat or broil it for 5 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 5 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, in a small stainless-steel saucepan, bring the
-vinegar,
-sugar, and
-the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer, stirring.
Simmer for 2 minutes.
Pour the liquid into a small glass or stainless-steel bowl and let cool.
Add the
-minced garlic,
-1 tablespoon chopped cilantro,
-red-pepper flakes,
-water.
Serve each chicken breast with a small bowl of the dipping sauce alongside.