Fig Whiskey Glazed Chicken Legs
Paul is balancing full time work and school this year; up early and home late. This means that he cooks on weekends, and weeknight cooking is up to me and my random taste inclinations. Paul claims to likes everything I make...but after the third consecutive meat-centric meal he made last weekend, I think I got the hint, more protein in the week. Our current favorite, these Fig Whiskey Glazed Chicken Legs, has a sweet and tangy glaze that turns the meat a rich mahogany hue. We licked our fingers clean while the dogs watched mournfully by.
Yield: Serves 5
Ingredients:
Dry Rubbed Chicken Legs:
- 5 chicken legs, skin left on
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
Fig Whiskey Glaze:
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons fig preserves
- 3 tablespoons rye whiskey
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 drops liquid smoke
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 425 and prepare a large roasting pan (or a sheet pat with cooling rack in my case).
- For the Dry Rubbed Chicken Legs: In a small bowl, mix together the dry rub ingredients (salt, garlic, paprika, onion, black pepper, ancho, cumin, and turmeric).
- Generously sprinkle the dry rub over each chicken leg, rubbing it into the meat for even coverage.
- Spread the seasoned chicken legs onto the roasting pan, skin side up, and slide the pan into the oven. Set your timer for 1 hour (total). You will be glazing twice during roasting, once at 30 minutes in, and once at 45 minutes.
- For the Fig Whiskey Glaze: While the chicken starts to roast, prepare the glaze. In a small pot over medium heat, warm the Worcestershire, fig preserves, whiskey, balsamic vinegar, and liquid smoke. Whisk to combine. Once smooth, remove from heat.
- After the chicken has cooked 30 minutes, remove the sheet pan carefully from the oven, set on top of the stove, and generously brush the glaze over each chicken leg. Return to the oven and allow to cook for an additional 15 minutes. Repeat the glazing process, using the remainder of your glaze. At 1 hour total cook time, the chicken should be done: moist and juicy on the inside with a crispy deep mahogany skin. Rest 5 minutes and serve hot.
Smoked Wings with Rye Whiskey Peach Sauce
It is peach season in Western Pennsylvania, and nothing shouts summer like Smoked Wings with Rye Whiskey Peach Sauce. These wings are slow roasted to tender perfection with a rich pecan smoke flavor and finished on the grill to crisp the skin. Oak-aged spirits pair beautifully with peaches (see our Salted Rum Caramel with Grilled Peaches & Ice Cream), and we find that Wigle's Aged Rye Whiskey is the perfect foil to sweet summer peaches and smokey wings. This Carolina inspired barbecue sauce is quick, easy, and versatile -- delicious on everything from these wings to ribs to burgers.
Spicy Maple Glazed Baby Back Ribs
When having someone over, we often find ourselves perseverating on the perfect dish. Our brother-in-law-to-be has a birthday coming up, and we've been obsessing on rib recipes in preparation. After many delicious test batches (it's a hard life), Paul emerged this week from his smoker, charred ribs in hand, triumphant! We devoured these Spicy Maple Glazed Baby Back Ribs with long satisfied silences interspersed with occasional groans of delight. These foolproof sweet and spicy ribs work equally well in the smoker or oven. For other meaty inspiration, check out our Slow Roasted Pork Ribs.
Berbere Spiced Chicken, Doro Wat
Berbere Spiced Chicken evokes memories of Ethiopia, the place where Paul and I first became friends. During our time in Addis, I got sick and Paul was appointed my hospital companion. I found a kindred spirit and we spent the rest of our time in Ethiopia together at every opportunity. A few months later, back home again, our relationship evolved into something more. The nuanced spice of berbere is a shared food memory; the start of a relationship, excitement of plans, passionate discussions, and the flash of recognition at finding a life partner.
Berbere is a distinctive spice mixture from Ethiopia -- fiery hot balanced with pungent garlic and warming spices. Many households prepare their own berbere mixture, and tarps laid out with drying chilies and spices were a common sight and smell in Ethiopia. Berbere Spiced Chicken is our greatly simplified and adapted version of the classic Ethiopian Doro Wat. Once you hunt down some berbere seasoning at your local spice store or online, this dish can be made in an hour and half with everyday ingredients.
Garlic Lemon Roast Chicken
Having an American-Canadian binational marriage comes with perks, one of which is two Thanksgivings: twice the feasting, with just enough time in between to allow for a full recovery. In honor of Canadian Thanksgiving, and the coming of cold weather, we wanted to share our go-to roast bird. This simple recipe avoids the complex trussing, stuffings, bags, frying, brining, injecting, or other techniques that can mystify and frustrate the home cook. Our Garlic Lemon Roast Chicken is ready for the oven in minutes, works every time, has moist meat and crispy skin, and is deeply infused with the flavors of lemon and garlic.
Caribbean Spiced Roast Chicken
Several years ago, while traveling in New Orleans, Rebecca and I heard about a local chef who made a traditional roast every weekend for a family dinner. Inspired, we began our own tradition of a weekly roast, sometimes meat, other times vegetarian. Our frequent favorite was a classic roast chicken with butter, garlic, and lemon. Adapting this dish to our new home in Haiti, we created a Caribbean Spiced Roast Chicken, drawing on the sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors found across the Caribbean basin. This combination of spices is reminiscent of Jamaica's famous jerks and Haiti's vibrant marinades, and the crispy skin will have you coming back for more.
