Blackened chicken with beans and rice
Serves 4
A little effort
Prep:
Cook:
plus marinating
From the kitchen of Plaquemine Lock, this Louisiana-inspired recipe sees chicken thighs coated in a punchy spice blend before being blackened in a pan and served with beans and rice
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- 4 chicken thighsskin on and bone in
- 150g buttermilk
- 180g smoked sausage2 small links, sliced into pound coin-width discs (smoked Polish or German sausages work well. Chorizo is also a great option)
- 1 large onionfinely diced
- 1 green pepperdeseeded and finely diced
- celery sticksfinely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 garlic clovesthinly 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 beansrinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley(optional)
- cooked long grain rice or crusty bread, and lime wedgesto 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
Nutrition: Per serving
- kcal529
- fat26.4g
- saturates8.7g
- carbs33.9g
- sugars8.1g
- fibre18.7g
- protein29.6g
- salt3.8g
Method
step 1
Add the chicken to a baking dish and smother with the buttermilk. Turn to coat, then cover, chill and marinate for 24 hrs.
step 2
Cook the sausage in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat for 5-6 mins until it releases its oils and browns. 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 fry 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.
step 3
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, scraping off the excess. Mix together the blackening spice mixture. Put the chicken on a plate and add 3-4 tbsp of the mixture until the chicken is coated in the spices. Store the left-over spice mixture for up to six 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 or 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.
step 4
Once ready, toss the parsley (if using) through the red beans and serve with the chicken, rice and a lime wedge.
