Blackened Chicken with Caramel and Clementine Dressing

4 servings

• Put the chicken thighs, turmeric, chile flakes, fish sauce, oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt into a large bowl and mix well to combine. Let marinate for 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate for longer (up to overnight). If the latter, remove the chicken thighs from the fridge about 45 minutes before cooking.
• Place a large cast-iron sauté pan on medium-high heat and ventilate your kitchen well. Once hot, add half the chicken thighs, skin side down. Weigh down the thighs with a large saucepan around the same size, so they are well pressed into the pan. Cook for 6–8 minutes, or until the skin is charred and blackened. Remove the top pan and set the chicken thighs aside, then repeat with the remaining thighs. The second batch might blacken faster, so check them at the 5-minute mark. Remove all the chicken, setting it aside, and let the pan cool for 5–10 minutes.
• If needed, drain off all but 1½ tablespoons of the fat collected in the pan and return to medium-high heat. Add the green onions, using a pair of tongs to coat them in the fat, then put back the chicken thighs, skin side up, and any of their juices, nestling them into the green onions, along with the water. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing each thigh into 3/4-inch/2cm-wide strips.
• While the chicken is cooking, make the caramel and clementine dressing. Heat a medium saucepan on mediumhigh heat. Once hot, turn the heat down to medium and sprinkle in the sugar to coat the base—it should immediately start to melt and color around the sides. Swirl the pan, without stirring, so that all the sugar melts and turns deeply golden, 11/2–2 minutes. Add the ginger and chiles, and stir continuously for 45 seconds, just to take off the spicy edge. Quickly add the vinegar, lime juice, and fish sauce, stirring to combine. Cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Use a small serrated knife to slice the clementines into 1/2-inch/1cm-thick rounds, then pull at them gently to halve them (don’t worry if they break apart further). Stir these into the cooled sauce.
• To serve, transfer the green onions to a large platter and top with the chicken and any pan juices, using a spatula to keep each thigh together. Pour the dressing all over, then sprinkle with the cilantro. Lastly, squeeze the lime halves over the top.
• Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Pour this dressing over a roasted chicken, panseared salmon, or tofu.