OVEN BAKED COFFEE MAPLE CHICKEN WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Chicken Thigh

1. Marinate chicken thigh with coffee for at least 15 minutes. If you have time, marinate for 1 hour to maximize flavours.
2. Set stove to high heat. Once pan is smoking hot, add oil and sear the chicken. Once chicken skin is crispy, remove from pan.
3. Turn oven to 210 C. Place chicken thigh into oven and bake for 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. To check if chicken is cooked, insert skewer into the thickest part of the meat. Once juice runs clear, chicken is done.

Carrots and Tomatoes

1. To roast carrots, wash carrots thoroughly with water. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. You may sprinkle 1 sprig of rosemary or any aromatic herbs at this point.
2. To roast tomatoes, poke 2 holes at the bottom of tomatoes so tomatoes will not burst but crinkle instead.
3. Place all vegetables and tomatoes in oven at 210 C for 30 minutes.

Coffee Glaze

1. To make coffee glaze, heat pan till hot.
2. Put 6 tbsp of Maple syrup, 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 3 cups of coffee. Stir thoroughly to combine. Ensure that maple syrup dissolves well in mixture.
3. Cook under low heat and keep stirring till reduced. Mixture should be thick and glossy.

Simple lemon vinaigrette dressing

1. To make simple lemon vinaigrette: combine lemon, lemon zest, sugar, salt, olive oil and black pepper. Mix till combined.

Assembly and Plating

1. Once chicken thigh is cooked, coat chicken with coffee glaze.
2. Toss microgreens with lemon vinaigrette.
3. To assemble, place carrots on plate, followed by chicken thigh. Then place the microgreens on top of the chicken thigh. Drizzle the coffee glaze around the chicken thigh. Place tomatoes around chicken thigh.