Thai Thighs and Broccoli Fried Rice

This meal was easy to throw together and resulted in juicy, flavor-packed chicken and a side filled to the brim with nutrient-rich veggies and whole grains.  Broccoli may just be coming into season for many of us now.  Feel free to substitute broccoli raab, cabbage, or another one of your favorite green veggies.

Ingredients:

For thighs:
-4 chicken thighs (with bone and skin)
-1/4 c soy sauce
-1/4 c vinegar (apple cider or rice wine would be best)
-4 tbsp jam (I used plum jam)
-1 clove garlic, peeled
-1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
-1-2 handfuls cilantro
-juice of 1/2 a lime
-fresh lemon grass or lemon verbena

For Broccoli Fried Rice:
-oil
-1/2 medium union, sliced in thin slivers
-2 cloves garlic, peeled
-1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
-1 tbsp soy sauce
-1 tsp fish sauce
-3 small heads (~4 c) of broccoli, floret divided into pieces and stems peeled and chopped
-1 carrot, cut into match sticks
-1-2 c brown rice, cooked
-1 large bunch of cilantro, chopped

->Place thighs into a small roasting pan or casserole.  Coat with soy sauce, vinegar, and jam to begin marinating a bit as you prep the rest.

 *NOTE:  I used leftover brown rice for the broccoli fried rice, but if you need to cook yours, you'll want to get it going before you start with the rest of your prep, as it can take 30-40 minutes to cook. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  At this point, I placed the garlic, ginger, cilantro, lime, and lemon verbena in a small food processor to make a paste.  However, you could also just mince and chop these ingredients and then combine.  Add this paste to the marinating thighs, rubbing it under and on top of the skin.

Place in oven to roast until the thighs reach 165 degrees in internal temperature and/or juices run clear (about 30 minutes).

->  While thighs cook, start the the broccoli fried rice.  Bring a large skillet or wok to medium heat, and coat with oil.  Saute onions until tender, and then add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and fish sauce.  Allow to cook until onions absorb the sauces.  Add broccoli and cover to steam until almost fork-tender.  Just before broccoli is ready, add carrot.  Saute for a short while more until carrots and broccoli are just tender.  Add rice and toss.  Top with chopped fresh cilantro.

TIP:  Because I was lazy and left my broccoli in the refrigerator without placing it in a bag first, it had gotten a little floppy.  I soaked my chopped broccoli pieces in some ice water before cooking to bring them back to life, making them crisp and new again.