Chicken is such a popular ingredient that can be turned into countless tasty dishes – be it boiled, fried, simmered, grilled, and so on. Just to name a few, everyone knows kaprao kai (Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken with Basil), khao man kai (Chicken Rice), khao niew kai tod (Deep-Fried Chicken with Sticky Rice), and kai yang som tam (Grilled Chicken with Thai Style Green Papaya Salad).
Throughout 2020, we witnessed much chicken creativity from culinary artists. In particular, they turned U-Farm’s Benja Chicken, raised without antibiotics and hormones, into delectable meals during the recent MICHELIN Guide Dining Series. Hopefully, these eight delicious dishes inspire you to have fun cooking fowl at home!
Grilled Benja Chicken Southern Style from Sorn
2 MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
This dish makes its first impression with a sweet aroma that fills the room. If you are familiar with Sorn’s signature Grilled Southern Beef, we guarantee that this chicken version is second to none. Chef Supaksorn “Ice” Jongsiri revealed that deboned chicken wings are marinated in Golek sauce for one full day. And the bones do not go to waste. They are fried with herbs and spices, intensifying the flavours. The meat is then grilled on a charcoal stove. Finally, that sweetness comes from dates instead of sugar. During his collaboration with Jay Fai in “One Root, Two Generations”, diners could not stop praising this Grilled Benja Chicken Southern Style.
Stir-Fried Noodles with Benja Chicken by Jay Fai
1 MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
Apart from her Crab Omelette, Jay Fai’s Stir-Fried Noodles with Benja Chicken is not to be missed. This main dish was served alongside Sorn’s. With her inimitable control of heat, the stir-fried noodles were soft and aromatic. Jay Fai then added her favourite Benja Chicken part, the thighs and followed with hearty pieces of crisp pickled squid. This Stir-Fried Noodles with Benja Chicken is served with salad, and a surprise. Instead of the usual chilli sauce, diners could experiment with an entire set of seasonings.
Beetroot and Benja Chicken from Le Du
1 MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn served diners appetisers during “Tales from the Rain”, in a menu inspired by the fertile rainy season. Benja Chicken breast was beautifully marinated with traditional kratong thong (Minced Chicken and Sweet Corn in Crispy Golden Cup) ingredients. A touch from the three buddies of Thai cuisine (coriander root, garlic, and pepper) added more flavours and sweetness that could be tasted on the very first bite. Cream and finely ground peanuts in a silky chicken mousse elevated the already-smooth Benja Chicken breast even further. When paired with earthy beetroot, every morsel would stir up wonderful sensations of Thailand’s rainy season.
Roasted Chicken Thigh Stuffed with Caramelised Green Banana Chilli from 80/20
1 MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
Chef Napol “Joe” Jantraget transformed the classic Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts into a playful plate. During 2020’s Second MICHELIN Guide Dining Series, Roasted Chicken Thigh Stuffed with Caramelised Green Banana Chilli, a collaboration with Le Du, was served as a main course. The deconstructed dish featured Benja Chicken thighs. According to Chef Joe, this soft, yet juicy, cut was the best for the grill. Another technique he employed was marinating the thigh in Shio Koji, made from fermented sea salt and short-grain Japanese rice, giving the chicken an extra juiciness. The chef surely impressed diners with this reimagined traditional dish and left them craving for more.
Cashew Nut Glazed and Slow Cooked Chicken Breast, Smoked Pumpkin, and Tribal Curry from Le Du
1 MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
Chef Ton was inspired by his team’s favourite tribal curry, which is a rare dish to find these days. Benja Chicken breasts were cooked sous vide for tenderness. The remaining parts of the whole chicken were boiled and deboned. The meat was then blended with pumpkin and spices, becoming a flavourful sauce served on the side. Diners could taste contrasting smokiness and spiciness alongside 80/20’s Roasted Chicken Thigh.
Benja Chicken Kiev, Sansho, Kinome from Mezzaluna
2 MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
For Chef Ryuki Kawasaki, the Japanese chef helming Mezzaluna at the towering Lebua Hotel, showcasing a main ingredient’s flavours is always the key. For the hors d'œuvre, he offered the best taste of fowl via a tiny canapé. The tender Benja Chicken breast was chosen for a Russian-style Chicken Kiev. The pieces were deep-fried with bread crumbs before being stuffed with leaf butter and Japanese peppercorn. The dish was served with a slice of lime to balance the flavours whilst giving a refreshing touch. With the first bite, you could feel the butter oozing in your mouth along with the spiciness of kinome, followed by the flavours of a well-prepared chicken. The dish reconfirmed how masterfully Chef Kawasaki combines Japanese tastes with French culinary techniques after his successful collaboration with R-Haan’s Chef Chumpol Jangprai at “Memories of Culinary Art”.
Savoury Leaf in Crispy Pastry Shell with Thai-Hokkaido Sweet Corn Cream and Benja Chicken from R-Haan
2 MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
Whilst the Japanese chef combined French techniques with Japanese tastes, Chef Chumpol Jangprai opted for royal Thai cuisine techniques to create an equally interesting appetiser from Benja Chicken. As an experienced chef, he understood French cuisine so well that he came up with a dish that enhanced Chef Ryuki’s innovation. Benja Chicken breast was marinated in a secret spice recipe before being cooked sous vide. The chef also added the three buddies for a more enticing aroma. Then to achieve the Dining Series’ theme, the Thai chef cooked the chicken in a French-style cream sauce, exhibiting both Eastern and Western cooking techniques at once. The royal flavours of the meat and the intense cream sauce made from white wine and chicken stock, as well as whipping cream and milk, absolutely pleased all diners.
Grilled Turmeric Benja Chicken from Saneh Jaan
1 MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2021
In the collaboration between Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin and Saneh Jaan at 2020’s final MICHELIN Guide Dining Series: “Siam's Gastronomic Time Travel”, Chef Pilaipon “Toy” Kamnag wanted to showcase what attracts people to her restaurant – authentic Thai cuisine. Firm and flavourful yet tender Benja Chicken thighs were marinated in an array of spices before grilling. In every bite, diners’ tastebuds experienced traditional Thai spices such as cumin, galangal, and garlic. This healthy yet supremely tasty dish left diners mesmerised through the night.
Learn more about Benja Chicken at www.benjachicken.com
Hero photo: © MICHELIN Guide Thailand
