| Posted: 15 Aug 2011 02:43 AM PDT  Boy, oh boy. This was one good Sunday dinner. In my next cookbook–the one I’ve been working on and am almost finished with and can no longer button my jeans because of–I have a delightful barbecue chicken recipe that’s chock full of fresh peaches. It’s divine. But it also takes a little longer to make. You have to halve the peaches. Remove the pits. Slice the peaches. Risk laceration injury. Who knew peaches could be so dangerous? This is a much, much easier version—just chop, brown, and pour. Oh, and stir. Add add. And cook in the oven. But other than that, it’s a cinch! And most importantly: you’ll absolutely love it.  Start with a bunch of chicken thighs. They’re my life. They’re a goldarn miracle.  Heat some olive oil and butter in a big ol’ pot.  Then, four at a time, put the chicken thighs in the pot skin side down. Brown them until golden, then flip ‘em over and brown the other side. Remove them to a separate plate, then repeat with the rest of the chicken. After you pull out the last piece of chicken, pout off half the grease. I’m all about making healthy choices, as you know.  Chop up a whole onion… And throw it into the pot.  Stir the onions around and cook them for a couple of minutes.  And when they’re golden brown and lovely, grab the Jack Daniels (or any other whiskey) from your bedside table.  Pour in a bunch. Smells like booze! Stir this around and cook it for a couple of minutes, allowing it to bubble and reduce just a little bit.  Next, pour in a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce.  Art. Pure art. Next, grab some peach preserves.  And *glug-glug-PLOP* Throw in the whole jar. Then fill the jar about halfway full with water.  Shake it up to loosen all the leftover bits stuck in the jar.And by the way, do you have any idea how difficult it is to hold a camera in your right hand and take a photo of yourself shaking something in your left hand? It’s actually next to impossible, from a brain synapse standpoint. You know that whole rub-your-tummy-scratch-your-head thing? Exactly like that, only more humiliating because you’re taking a photo of it happening.  Then pour in the water. And really, it’s not necessary to shake the water in the jar. Just a little tip if you don’t like to waste. Next, throw in some Worcestershire… Oh! And throw in some garlic cloves. It just…it just feels right. Pruny fingers + missing diamond in the wedding band = Welcome to the forties. I’ve lived a long, hard life. Next up: the CHAAAAAANGE!  Then whisk it all together.  Give the sauce another stir, then put the chicken back into the pot. And pour in the juice from the plate where the chicken was resting. Not time to eat it yet, though. First you have to stick it in the oven for a good hour and a half. The chicken will finish cooking, the sauce will become magical, and the meat will eventually fall off the bone. And meat falling off the bone is good for your health. And your attitude. And your religion. Moving on…  Cook the chicken in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then remove it from the oven and keep it warm until you serve it.  Look at this! It a little bite of chicken, sent from Heaven to fall off the bone during the cooking process so that when I lifted the lid off the pot, I would retrieve it with my fork and gobble it down without apology. Serve the chicken with a big plate of warm, creamy mashed potatoes and sprinkle the whole lovely mess with sliced green onions.  But then do this. The sauce is just out of this world.  So basically, here’s what happens: you stick your fork anywhere remotely close to the chicken and pieces of gorgeous meat just fall all over the place. So delicious and tender. But then when you take a bite of your smashed potatoes, you get some of that whiskey-and-peach-laden flavor, too. Divine, divine, divine. You’ll love this. Here’s the handy printable! Recipe: Peach-Whiskey Barbecue Chicken | | |  Ingredients
Preparation Instructions Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil and butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs, four at a time, in the pot, skin side down. Brown both sides, then remove to a plate and repeat until all chicken is browned. Pour off half the grease, then return pan to stove. Add onions to pan and stir, cooking for 2 minutes. Pour whiskey into the pot, being very careful if you're using an open flame. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, allowing whiskey to reduce for a minute or two. Pour in barbecue sauce, peach preserves, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Throw in garlic cloves. Stir until combined, then return chicken to the pot, skin side up. Cover and put pot in oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, then remove from oven. Serve pieces of chicken over a big pile of smashed potatoes. Sprinkle sliced green onions over the top. |
