Kip Filet with Sherry Sauce

“Kip” is Dutch for chicken, and this recipe brings a Northern European sensibility to the grill with a marinade built on crushed juniper berries, sherry, and soy sauce. Juniper is more commonly associated with gin and game meats, but it works beautifully with chicken, adding a piney, slightly resinous aroma that’s unlike anything else in the spice drawer.

The four-hour marinade gives the flavors time to penetrate deep into the fillets. Crushing the juniper berries with the back of a spoon cracks them open and releases their essential oils into the sherry and soy mixture. The soy adds salt and umami without overpowering the delicate juniper.

After grilling, the reserved marinade gets boiled with water and thickened with cornstarch into a glossy sauce that pours over the sliced chicken. Resting the grilled fillets for 3 minutes before slicing crosswise keeps the juices in and gives you clean, attractive cuts for plating.

Chef Tips

• Crush the juniper berries firmly but don’t pulverize them. You want them cracked into a few pieces, not turned into powder.
• Dry the marinated chicken thoroughly before grilling. Wet surfaces steam instead of developing grill marks and charred flavor.
• Always boil the reserved marinade before serving it as a sauce. It’s been in contact with raw chicken and needs to reach a full boil for food safety.
• Slice the chicken about ½ cm thick on a slight bias for the most elegant presentation.

Variations

• Pan-sear the fillets in a hot skillet if you don’t have access to a grill.
• Swap the sherry for dry white wine or sake for a different flavor profile.
• Serve with rice and lemon-glazed carrots as suggested, or with roasted root vegetables for a heartier plate.