68 Days of Gourmet: Day 2
This is my new favorite easy dinner to add to our regular rotation. First thing first, I apologize for the less than stellar photo. I don’t have a lightbox and it gets dark at 5:30. Considering that we never eat until 8 p.m., there’s just no hope for decent dinner shots during the winter.
I have been so eager to make this Spiced Chicken after hearing Gourmet Editor-in-Chief Ruth Reichl say it was one of her favorite weeknight family dinners. The chicken was so simple, so juicy and a breeze to prepare. And the house smelled amazing while it was baking. It’s also very economical. We used legs and thighs but you can also use bone-in breasts – both are very affordable, especially if you can catch them on sale. It is insane to me how much the grocery charges for skinless, boneless chicken breasts. It’s a total rip off! I only buy them on sale and freeze. Otherwise, I buy bone-in and skin and bone myself. It’s very simple.
But I digress…back the Spiced Chicken. I told Brandon at least five times during dinner, “this is so good.” I can’t wait to share the recipe with my mom and dad. I know they will love this one! This is an awesome weeknight dish and would also be perfect for someone looking for an easy but delicious entertaining recipe.
I doubled the amount of spices for the chicken (so I could really coat it on) and substituted a wine/chicken broth mixture for the water in the pan sauce.
Try this for a new spin on chicken. I know everyone is always looking for new and easy chicken dishes!
Spiced Chicken
(Recipe adapted from Gourmet, April 2000)
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for the pan
2 bone-in chicken breasts or 2 leg/thigh combos
1/2 cup white wine, chicken broth or water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse and pat dry chicken.
Stir together spices, salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Rub all over chicken. Heat another two tablespoons of oil in an ovenproof heavy skillet (preferably not non-stick) over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 6 minutes (3 minutes per side).
Transfer skillet to middle rack of oven and roast, skin side up, until just cooked through, 20-25 minutes. The internal temperature should read 160 for breasts and 170 for legs or thighs. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add water, wine or stock and deglaze, scraping up brown bits. Let reduce for 2 or 3 minutes. Pour pan juices over chicken and serve.
Yield: 2 servings
bakin' and eggs 