Blackened chicken, beans and rice
SERVES 4 | PREP 10 MINS PLUS MARINATING COOK 50 MINS | MORE EFFORT
4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
150g buttermilk
180g smoked sausage, 2 small links, sliced into pound coin-width discs (smoked Polish or German sausages work well. Chorizo is also a great option)
1 large onion, finely diced
1 green pepper, deseeded and finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 tbsp tomato purée
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 200ml fresh chicken stock
1 tsp hot sauce (Crystal is a New Orleans favourite but Tabasco or Frank’s are both good choices, too)
1 bay leaf
2 x 400g tins kidney beans,
rinsed and drained
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional) cooked long grain rice or crusty bread and lime wedges, to serve BLACKENING MIX
7 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp onion powder
1½ tbsp dried oregano
1½ tbsp dried thyme
2½ tbsp fine salt
1 Add the chicken to a baking dish and smother with the buttermilk. Turn to coat then cover, chill and marinate for 24 hours.
2 Cook the sausage in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until it releases its oils and browns, about 5-6 mins. Remove the sausage from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, add the onion, pepper and celery. Season and saute for 3-4 mins or until softened, but not coloured. Add the tomato purée and garlic, cooking for a further minute, then stir in the sausage, stock, hot sauce and bay leaf. Add the beans to the pan, stirring to combine, then simmer over a low heat, covered, for 20 mins until the beans are tender and the mixture is thick. Add a splash of water if the pan seems dry and season to taste.
3 Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, scraping off the excess. Mix the blackening spice mix together. Put the chicken on a plate and add 3-4 tbsp of the mix until the chicken is coated in the spices. Store the leftover spice mix for up to 6 months in a sterilised glass jar in a cool, dark place. Add the butter to a wide frying pan and put over a medium-high heat. Once melted and the pan is hot, add the chicken skin-side down. You should hear a good sizzle. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-6 mins until dark and crusty. The chicken will go black very fast, but don’t worry. Flip it over and cook for a further 6-8 mins. Add a splash of water to the pan then cover with a lid and cook for another 6 mins or until the chicken is cooked through completely.
4 Once ready, toss the parsley (if using) through the red beans and serve with the chicken, rice and a lime wedge.
PER SERVING 529 kcals | fat 26.4G saturates 8.7G | carbs 33.9G | sugars 8.1G fibre 18.7G | protein 29.6G | salt 3.8G