My chicken and eggplant stuns with scrumptiously surprising flavors and textures, y'all. Boneless skinless chicken thigh pieces, soaked in a Creole mustard-studded marinade. Then, drained and cooked down with browned Cajun trinity veggies and seasoned fresh eggplant strips. Finally, finished off with a uniquely satisfying sauce that pushes each bite over the blissful top. Yep and yay...
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It's Another One of My Original Fusion of Flavor Recipes, Y'all...
Chicken and eggplant is a fusion of traditional Cajun and Asian flavors. The dish features the deep, rich caramelized veggie trio that's found in almost all traditional south Louisiana gumbo and stew preparations. It also uses a prominent regional flavor in the marinade, as well.
This original creation of mine was inspired by my favorite dish from my local Thai restaurant that I can no longer eat because it contains gluten. So, I developed a version that celebrates my love of Cajun food but still has some elements of Asian cuisine.
Honestly, my chicken and eggplant recipe tastes nothing like the takeout version that I loved! But, it's definitely a unique, unforgettable dish that's super high in flavor and oh sooo tender in texture. Indeed.
Ingredient Essentials and Substitutions
For the Marinated Chicken:
- Boneless skinless thighs work best in this recipe because they soak up the marinade super fast. That said, you can also use tenders or thinly sliced chicken breasts, as well.
- You will taste every drop of the Creole mustard that's in the marinade in the prepared dish. However, don't worry if you don't have any on hand. You can also use coarse ground mustard. Your chicken and eggplant won't have a certain south Louisiana twang. But, it will still be super delicious.
- I used pink Himalayan salt in the marinade. It was just a preference, though. So, use table salt with full confidence because this substitution will not change the finished chicken and eggplant dish taste at all.
For the Rest of the Chicken and Eggplant Recipe:
- The Cajun trinity veggies are vital to injecting the recipe with its deep, rich flavor backbone. However, if you only have onions on hand then do NOT let it stop you from making this dish. Just go for it. The dish will still be great, I'm sure.
- The soy sauce is an essential component of this recipe. I use Kikkoman gluten free soy sauce with great success.
- Substitute twice as much fresh ginger if you don't have ground ginger on hand. And, if you don't have red pepper flakes, then extra cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce should save the day.
How to Make Chicken and Eggplant
To begin the recipe, whisk the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
Then, pour the marinade over the chicken thigh pieces, and set aside.
Now, season the fresh eggplant strips with the SP&C. Set aside.
Next, pour the chopped veggies, along with the oil and butter, into your skillet or pot.
Cook the veggies until they are about halfway browned.
Then, drain the chicken pieces, and stir them into the skillet.
When the meat is cooked through, add the seasoned eggplant strips.
Continue cooking until the eggplant reduces in size and becomes very tender.
Then, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
Finally, pour the sauce over the mixture. Stir well to combine, then continue to cook for just a few minutes until the chicken and eggplant skillet is done.
And that's it, y'all!!
This chicken and eggplant yields an explosion of flavors from the very first bite. The mustard dances on your tongue as you relish in the tenderness of the chicken and eggplant. Then, the soy/red pepper/garlicky sauce hits the roof of your mouth, and it's all a blissful finish of feistiness that leaves you wanting just ONE more bite.
Share this amazing dish with those who love to be kept on their toes through one tantalizing surprise after the other. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
Pairings
More of My Original Chicken Fusion Dishes
Check out Some of My Cajun Chicken Recipes
Chicken and Eggplant
Ingredients
For the Marinated Chicken Thighs
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon salt I used pink Himalyan salt
- 1 tablespoon Creole mustard You can also use coarse whole grain mustard
For the Seasoned Eggplant
- 1 eggplant, sliced into rings, then cut into strips medium to large-sized, about 1 to 1 ½ pounds
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Chicken and Eggplant
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium-sized yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons oil
For the Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth Swanson is gluten free
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce I love Kikkoman tamari gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic the jarred stuff works awesome in this recipe
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried ginger
Instructions
- Whisk the water, salt, and Creole mustard together in a bowl.
- Submerge the chicken thigh pieces into the marinade. Set aside.
- Sprinkle the eggplant strips with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, then stir to combine. Set aside.
- Brown the chopped onion, green and yellow bell pepper, and celery in the butter and oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Drain the chicken pieces well, then add them to the pan.
- Continue cooking until all of the pieces are cooked through without any remaining raw spots.
- Stir the eggplant pieces into the pan.
- Continue cooking, stirring often, until the eggplant softens and reduces in size by about half.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Whisk the chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, parsley, paprika, red pepper flakes, and ginger together in a bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and eggplant mixture in the skillet, then stir to combine.
- Cover the skillet partially, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and a digital thermometer inserted into the chicken thigh pieces reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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