Chicken with Clams

Pork with clams is a Portuguese standard, but this is an odd East-West variation that has become an American classic in its own way. I first ate it nearly 30 years ago and have been slowly tinkering with the recipe (and improving it, I hope) ever since. I’ve never tired of it; the clams add a delicious brininess to the braised chicken (take it easy on the salt).

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

About 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 8 pieces, or any combination of parts, blotted dry

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Pinch cayenne

1 medium carrot, diced

1/2 cup dry white wine or water

1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger, plus a little more for garnish

2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1/2 cup roughly chopped scallion for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)

• Put the oil in a deep skillet with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Put the flour on a plate or in a shallow bowl and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
• When the oil is hot (a pinch of flour will sizzle), dredge the chicken pieces in the flour (thighs first, followed by drumsticks, then finally breasts and wings), shaking off any excess. As you coat the pieces, add them to the oil and brown on all sides. Regulate the heat so that the oil bubbles but is not so hot that it will burn the chicken. Rotate and turn the chicken as necessary until the chicken is nicely browned; the process will take 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet and turn the heat down to medium. Pour or spoon off all but a couple of tablespoons of the oil. Add the garlic, cayenne, and carrot and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the wine, ginger, and chicken. Sprinkle all with pepper, but hold off on additional salt.
• Adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently but steadily. Cover and cook, turning the pieces every 5 minutes or so, until the chicken is almost cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes (longer if you skipped the browning step). When the chicken is almost cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh will read about 150 F), add the clams. Re-cover and raise the heat to medium.
• Cook until the clams open and the chicken temperature is 155–165 F, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil, taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish with the scallion, remaining ginger, and the cilantro if you’re using it, and serve.

MAKES: 4 servings

TIME: About 1 hour