This elegant dish is great for dinner parties, or when an ordinary roasted chicken seems dull. Kids especially like their own mini-chicken.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 Cornish game hens (about ¾ to 1 pound each)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and chopped (ginger powder also serves as a suitable substitute)
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest, minced 

DIRECTIONS

Rinse hens, trim off excess fat, and pat dry. Place in large bowl or pan. Put garlic and ginger in food processor and process until nearly smooth. In another bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, orange juice, and zest. Add the garlic and the ginger. Pour mixture over game hens, coating well. Refrigerate overnight, turning in marinade several times.

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Place marinated game hens in shallow roasting pan; pour marinade on top. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove hens to serving platter. Pour cooking juices into small, heavy saucepan and boil for 4 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Pour over hens just before serving. Serve with sesame noodles or rice pilaf. These hens can also be grilled. Remember to baste often.

Chicken thighs have a richer flavor than breasts. Cooking them on the bone gives even more flavor. Serve this dish over egg noodles or with roasted potatoes, and lots of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 slices bacon, chopped or 2 links Andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh thyme and basil
• 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 12 oz. red wine
• 1, 14oz can diced tomatoes with chiles, or stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 Tbs. green chile 

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the chicken and brown on both sides in 2 batches.

Remove the chicken to a plate and spoon out ½ the drippings, and add the bacon/sausage. Brown for 2 minutes. Add onion, celery, pepper, garlic, carrots, basil, green chile and thyme. Cook to soften, for about 10 minutes, over medium heat.

Add the flour, stir 1 to 2 minutes to break up the lumps, then pour in the wine. Stir in the tomatoes and stock. Let the sauce thicken a bit, and then slide the chicken into the pot and simmer to cook through. Serve with warm crusty bread, or cool and store for make-ahead meal.