Dixie Chicken: Grilled chicken thighs with buffalo wing sauce, Rice/yam/black bean pilaf
I've never lived alone—went from my Dad's house, to a dorm room, to a husband's house. During the 1990's, Bob was intermittently on the road, but I worked five days a week, Muth was next door, and Ginny was down the street, so life moved right along. This time home, even at 850 sq. feet, home seems too big and the days are strangely unstructured. I am, however, finding small things that are positive: the bathroom wastebasket seldom needs emptying, I don't run out of Diet Coke, I wash clothes only once a week, Bob's desk is clean, and the refrigerator is remarkably empty. So far I don't have much of a rhythm to my day but maybe that will evolve. Haven't begun my makeover yet—no twice-a-day cycling, volunteering, or pursuit of higher education but I am getting the hang of the remote control and may get my hair cut short.
I've been cooking once a week—starting out with brown rice/pinto beans/yams/sun-dried tomato/Mexican hard cheese pilaf and grilled chicken thighs drenched in Louisiana Buffalo Wing Sauce. Tomorrow I'm going to the Ethnic Fest at Wright Park in Tacoma and will be on the lookout for pupusas —but a good Mexican torta will do.
I'm telling you—give this grilled chicken dipped in wing sauce a try—it's easy, tasty, and cheap. Maybe everyone else already cooks this and I'm just the last to know. Maybe even grilled tofu dipped in hot wing sauce—you never know.
Grilled chicken thighs with Buffalo Wing Sauce
Season unboned chicken thighs with salt, pepper, a spicy rub of your choice and let them sit for 1 hour. If you have no rub, try a combination of cumin, chili powder or paprika, chipotle pepper, lemon pepper, and garlic powder or garlic salt. Rub a little oil (olive or vegetable) over the chicken before grilling and cook over medium heat, skin side down for 6-7 minutes or until the skin is crisp. Turn and cook for 5 minutes on the other side. If you like your chicken cooked longer, feel free.
Pour Buffalo Wing Sauce in a bowl—enough to cover the number of thighs grilled. Remove chicken from the grill and place in sauce, turning to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve. The excess sauce is tasty on the rice or served over the chicken.
Rice, yams, & black beans
1 cup white long-grain rice
1 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1/2# chorizo (either the softer hamburger-like Mexican kind or the hard sausage-like Spanish kind will do)
1/2 onion, fine dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Oregano, coriander, cumin
1/2 sweet potato, peeled, diced, and steamed
1/2 can black beans, drained & rinsed
Chopped fresh cilantro
Mexican cotija (hard) cheese
Rinse rice until water runs clear. Cover with water and soak for 30 minutes. Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add salt & rice. Stir to combine. Turn down to simmer and cook 25 minutes. Take off heat and let it sit, covered five minutes. Spred out on a sheet pan to cool.
Sauté onion, chorizo, garlic, and sun-dried tomato in hot oil. Add cumin, oregano, coriander. Sauté on medium-low heat until onions and garlic are soft and cooked through.
Fold chorizo/onion/spice mix, yams, black beans, chopped cilantro, and Mexican cheese into cooked rice. Season to taste.
I used to love Little Feat and Dixie Chicken was a great favorite. Thanks for the memories.
Reply to this