I watch a lot of food television. The Food Network and Cooking Channel are my go-to stations for binge TV. I will confess that I’m not into the contest cooking shows. I’m looking to learn new techniques, plating ideas, and recipes. Cooking contest shows cause me anxiety. Food is very subjective. Some people like more salt, some less. Some love cilantro, some say it tastes like soap. Whatever the case, having someone judge another person’s cooking is stressful for me. Ridiculous, I know, but there we have it.
I really enjoy the shows where the chef is making a full meal. Bobby Flay for example has Brunch with Bobby, which airs on the weekends. I love this show. Not only do I get some fabulous ideas, but I learn techniques. I’m not overly familiar with southwestern cooking, which is his specialty. Learning about the different peppers, cheeses and spices is fascinating and fun.
A few weeks ago I was watching the show and he made a recipe that was similar to one I had shared last year, stuffed breakfast poblanos. The silly side of me was hoping he’d say, “Oh I got this recipe idea from this cool column by food writer Midgi in Juneau, Alaska.” Of course that didn’t happen, but it was really neat to think we had similar ideas. Bobby’s recipe included stewed chicken that was mixed into his eggs, with cheese and other goodies. I couldn’t help but focus on the chicken. It looked so good and so easy. This small nugget of the recipe stayed with me for days until I finally caved and decided I just had to make it.
The simplicity of this recipe is almost laughable. It uses prepared BBQ sauce, chili powder, a few other spices, and chicken. That’s it. Then you can do whatever you wish with the chicken once it is ready.
I tried to explain to The Captain how I came up with the ingenious recipe and he gave me that glazed-over “yes dear” look. Poor guy. I wonder if that’s how I look when he talks about fishing and boats. I’m guessing yep, I do.
In any case, he enjoyed the chicken and we made soft shell tacos from them. Use any tortilla you like and just warm it in a dry skillet. Add the usual suspects of taco goodies, i.e., lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, avocados, etc. and you’ve got a great meal. You can even save the stewing broth and freeze it to make another batch of the chicken.
This week I present a recipe that is a tiny part of one I saw on television. Maybe one day Bobby Flay will use one of mine. Anyone care to send a letter to the Food Network? A girl can dream, right?
Until next time…
Eat and enjoy,
Midgi
Stewed Mexican Chicken
4 – 6 chicken thighs
1 bottle prepared BBQ sauce (whatever is your favorite)
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
Combine all ingredients and add the chicken to a medium sized pot. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes until chicken has cooked thoroughly and can be shredded from the bone. Discard any leftover skin and bones.
Chicken can be served with tacos, enchiladas, eggs, or as a main course with garnishes such as lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, etc.