Rigatoni with Chicken Thighs

This winning recipe from the second episode of Top Chef Canada Season 2 is a spring and summer favourite, taking the conventional barbeque experience to a gourmet level.
Directions for: Honey Lavender Lemonade, Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken and Apple Slaw with Mint Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Honey Lavender Lemonade

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 Tbsp lavender flowers, dried

cup honey

tsp citric acid

7 cup cold water

2 cup lemon juice (approx. juice of 8 lemons)

BBQ Sauce

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 sweet onions, diced

3 L ketchup

cup chipotle in adobo sauce

1 Tbsp mustard powder

1 cup brown sugar

2 cup apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken

1 L buttermilk

3 clove garlic, smashed

cup chipotle in adobo sauce

1 tsp black pepper

8 chicken thighs, deboned, skin on

vegetable oil for grilling

salt

barbeque sauce

Mint Vinaigrette

3 Tbsp sugar

cup white vinegar

2 bunch mint, leaves picked for Apple Slaw recipe, stems reserved

3 clove garlic, sliced

2 shallots, sliced

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Apple Slaw

green cabbage, julienned

2 Tbsp salt, plus extra for seasoning

2 Granny Smith apples, julienned

mint leaves from Mint Vinaigrette recipe, finely chopped

Mint Vinaigrette

pepper

Assembly

1 Honey Lavendar Lemonade

1 Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken

1 Apple Slaw with Mint Vinaigrette

Directions

Honey Lavender Lemonade

1. Place sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and remove once sugar dissolves.

2. Add lavender flowers, honey and citric acid to pot, stir. Set aside to cool.

3. Place water and lemon juice in a large pitcher. Strain honey lavender syrup, add to pitcher and stir. Place in fridge until serving.

BBQ Sauce

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, saut until caramelized, approximately 7- 10 minutes.

2. Add remaining ingredients, stir to incorporate. Simmer for 1 hours.

3. Puree with immersion blender until smooth, set aside until grilling chicken.

Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken

1. Place buttermilk, garlic, chipotle with adobo sauce and black pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth.

2. Place chicken thighs in a large container. Add buttermilk adobo mixture, massage into chicken and place in fridge to marinate overnight.

3. Preheat grill to medium heat and brush with vegetable oil.

4. Remove chicken from marinade, season with salt and place on grill.

5. Grill chicken 3-4 minutes per side, lower heat to medium-low and baste with BBQ Sauce.

6. Continue to grill at medium low heat for 6-8 minutes, flipping chicken and basting until chicken is cooked.

7. Remove from heat, tent with foil to keep warm.

Mint Vinaigrette

1. Place sugar and vinegar in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.

2. Add mint stems, garlic and shallots, stir. Set aside for 10 minutes to infuse flavour and cool.

3. Strain vinegar and sugar mixture into a medium bowl.

4. Slowly whisk olive oil into the mixture, set aside until assembling Apple Slaw.

Apple Slaw

1. Place cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Toss, set aside for 30 minutes to wilt cabbage.

2. Rinse salt from cabbage, strain, pat dry and place in a large bowl.

3. Add apples, Mint Vinaigrette and mint leaves to cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and set aside until assembly.

Assembly

1. Place one piece of BBQ Grilled Chicken on a plate.

2. Spoon Apple Slaw with Mint Vinaigrette beside BBQ Grilled Chicken.

3. Serve with a cold glass of Honey Lavender Lemonade.

See more: Gourmet, Main, BBQ