Fancy a chicken recipe that does not involve barbecued, roasted, grilled or deep-fried meat? Try this Haitian-style chicken in sauce. You would be amazed at how a slow simmering sauce can actually turn basic poultry into a fantastic dish. In my opinion, chicken in sauce is also the symbol of Creole-inspired cuisine at its best and in its simplest ways. Traditionally it is served on a bed of rice with red beans (Diri ak pois coles) together with a large pressed double-fried plantain (Banan pese) and spicy pickled vegetables (called Pikliz in Haiti). For those of you who are not acquainted with all these dishes, be assured that each and every of them will be the topic of a blog post in the upcoming weeks. You can therefore look forward to your next diner party when you will be surprising your guests with a tasty Haitian meal. There is one problem you might have, though: convincing them that you pulled out a fantastic Creole meal on your own and did not order the food from your local Caribbean restaurant!
Check out a video on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6e40G04Rus
Chicken in sauce
Print recipe
| Serves | 4-6 |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 45 minutes |
| Total time | 1 hours, 5 minutes |
Ingredients
- 1 Medium chicken or 6 whole chicken thighs
- 1 lime or lemon
- Chopped garlic (taste)
- Salt and pepper
- Ground cloves
- 4-5 tablespoons oil
- 1 Large onion sliced in rounds
- 2 green bell peppers (sliced)
- 1/3 cup tomato paste ((approximately))
- 3/4 cups water ((approximately))
- 1 hot pepper ((optional, to taste))
Directions
| 1. | If using a whole chicken, cut it in pieces |
| 2. | Wash the pieces with water, rub them with lemon (or lime) and sprinkle with salt and pepper |
| 3. | Heat oil in a pan and fry the pieces for a very short time, only until the meat turns light golden |
| 4. | Arrange the chicken pieces in a large ovenproof pan and sprinkle the onions and the bell peppers over them |
| 5. | Combine the garlic, tomato paste, water and ground cloves in a bowl and mix well. Add additional seasoning to taste and pour the sauce over the chicken pieces, onions and bell peppers. Add the hot pepper if desired. |
| 6. | Place the entire pan in the oven and bake uncovered at low heat (350 ºF) for at least 45 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked |
