Being on your ideal weight is not just good for your health; it has esthetic implications as well. This spicy, smoky chicken is perfect when you are cooking for yourself for weeknight dinners or for an impromptu party. Start with chickens, whole or broken up into parts. If you bought whole chickens, you will have leftover backs for stock. And don’t worry about the vodka since it has no carbs, it’s perfectly all right to use.
Make 12 to 16 servings
Ingredients:
• 1 cup of soy sauce
• ½ cup vodka
• 3 packets sugar substitutes
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 large cloves of garlic, smashed
• 4 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 6 chicken wings (2 lb total)
• 6 chicken breasts cut in half with skin and bones (4 lb total)
• 6 chicken thigh drumsticks
• ½ lime, juice + grated zest
Directions:
1. Stir together soy sauce, vodka, substitute sugar, oil, garlic, sesame oil, cumin, and red-pepper flakes in a large glass bowl.
2. Divide chicken pieces among large sealable bags, and then divide marinade among bags and seal, pressing out excess air.
3. Put bags in a large bowl (in case of leaks) and marinate the chicken, chilled, overnight.
4. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Brush two large shallow baking pans with oil. Divide chicken between pans, side chicken down.
6. Pour marinade into a 4-quart wide saucepan. Roast chicken over 12 minutes.
7. Turn chicken over and switch the pan and continue until cooked through and lightly browned, 13 to 18 minutes more.
8. Transfer chicken to a platter. While chicken roasts, gently boil marinade until reduced to about 1 ½ cups, 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Drizzle chicken with some of the sauce and serve remainder on the side. Squeeze juice from lime all over the chicken before serving.
10. Leftover sauce can be kept in an airtight container, chilled, up to 3 days. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
