- 1 cup roasted salted cashew nuts
- 6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, with some stems
- ¼ cup safflower or olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for garnish
- 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded or not, to taste
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
- In a blender or food processor, combine the nuts, 2 tablespoons cilantro, the oil, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, jalapeno, and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Smear on enough cashew mixture to coat the pieces thoroughly, but don't make it too thick or the sauce will fall off into your grill. (Set aside any remaining mixture.) Let marinate at room temperature while you heat the grill or broiler. Or refrigerate for up to 12 hours before cooking.
- Preheat the broiler or grill. Grill or broil the chicken, turning frequently, until it is crisp and golden on the outside and done on the inside (cut a small nick to check), 20 to 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 4 tablespoons cilantro and serve with lime wedges and the remaining cashew mixture.