Russian marinated chicken
On the dacha outside of Petropavlovsk:
I had an opportunity to spend time at a Russian dacha where my host made this delightful and tasty dish. What amazed me was that they never refrigerated it and ate it for days (I don’t recommend this) – I suspect the marinating keeps bacteria from growing in the mixture. We also had the typical Russian sauna where we drank plenty of vodka and relaxed.
Ingredients (serves 6):
- 8 – boneless and skinless chicken breast halves cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 4 large – Vidalia onions sliced (see photo below)
- 5 cloves – garlic, minced
- 1 cup – apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup – lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon – sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well making sure that the onions get separated into individual slices (see photo below).
The chicken and onion mixture after it has marinated – note how the onion slices have been separated from the onion.
Leave the mixture to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. Stir two or three times while marinating. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and marinate for an additional 4 hours stirring a few more times.
Prepare the grill and place two aluminum mesh grills on top. Heat the grill to about medium heat (200 degrees F). Place the chicken and onions on the mesh and allow to cook until the chicken is browned. Keep from burning the onions by stirring frequently. Enjoy!
Cooked marinated onions and chicken.
Close-up view of the cooked marinated onions and chicken.
I like to serve the dish with home fry potatoes. You take about 3 large baking potatoes and cut them into ½-inch cubes (leave the skins on but wash them with a brush). Add them to a pan with canola oil and fry until brown (see photo below).
Home fry potatoes
J. Boticelli