Since July of 2008, Mr. C. and I have been hosting vocal jazz artists from around the world in our home. Often the artists stay the night with us, as was the case with Chris McNulty in May of 2009. And the next morning over coffee and a lingering breakfast, Chris and I started talking food. (Well, of course we did!) She shared with me her amazing and truly unique recipe for just about the best chicken you could ever hope to taste.
She and her husband Paul Bollenback, the fabulous jazz guitarist, had to leave shortly after breakfast so that left me plenty of time that afternoon to gather the recipe ingredients for this dish including one perfect garden variety rock. (Excuse the pun.) Yep, you heard right! A plain old fashioned, just the right size, good and heavy rock.
So that very evening I prepared this incredible dish for the first time. I must say, I was a bit skeptical about the peperoncini, and I worried about the chicken burning, but my fears turned out to be completely unfounded. (Notice the use of a big old rock from the yard didn’t worry me at all!) The chicken came out ultra tender and moist, and the flavor from the mustard, peperoncini, and roasted red peppers was divine.
So go on out in your yard or take a walk in the woods and find yourself a rock. (I suggest you measure the pot you are going to use to contain the rock before you go a gathering.) And then give this recipe a try. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Oh, and wash your rock before you use it. You just never know where that rock has been during the last several million years!
- 1 whole fryer, cut into 8 pieces or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs*
- 2 T. grainy mustard
- 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 frying pan large enough for chicken (single layer)
- ¼ c. peperoncini rings, with a little juice
- 2 roasted red peppers cut into large pieces
- aluminum foil
- 1 very heavy pan that fits in frying pan
- 1 very large rock (yes the kind you find in your yard) that fits in heavy pan
- chopped fresh parsley, opt.
*if you use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, I suggest you do what I do. Using a pair of kitchen shears cut away most of the skin and fat. I leave just enough skin to barely cover the chicken with just a little of the meat showing around the edges. There will still be plenty of skin to brown nicely and you will have eliminated a great deal of calories totally unnecessary to the enjoyment of this dish. (Actually I cut away most of the skin anytime I use chicken thighs.)
Combine mustard, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slather all over the chicken pieces and place them skin side down in cold frying pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the peperoncini rings and the roasted red pepper pieces.
Cover with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fit down over the chicken and extend over the sides of the frying pan.
Place frying pan on stove. Place the very heavy pan on top of the aluminum foil. Place the rock in the pan. (Actually you can place the rock in the pan before putting it on the chicken.)
Turn the heat on medium low and walk away for 30-35 minutes. Remove the pan and rock. Carefully remove the aluminum foil (as the steam first escapes it is very hot) and gently turn the chicken. (If there is liquid, remove 98% of it before browning the second side of the chicken.) Turn up the heat and cook chicken for an additional 5-10 minutes. (Don’t turn the chicken at this point and don’t worry that the second side is not the amazing brown of the first side.) Just sprinkle it with fresh parsley and serve it to anyone you truly love.
For more information on home concerts in the Seattle area, visit our website www.jazzvox.com