Well, I was planning to get right back on the blogging bandwagon after Lizzie arrived, but it got a bit hectic around here. My family came in town for the 4th, then my mom stayed the week after. It was sad to see her go, but now I have no excuse for not cooking or baking! For my first post-partum dish, I decided it had to be from my new America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. A friend of mine couldn’t stop raving about this cookbook, so I finally caved and ordered it about a month ago on Amazon. Of course, due to my major life interruption, I hadn’t got around to discovering this miracle book until now.
Alex said this is the best chicken I have made to date. It was pretty darn good. Since I didn’t have chili powder or cayenne pepper, I used red pepper flakes. This gave it a spicy kick that blended perfectly with the sweetness of the ketchup and syrup. The ingredient list is short enough to make it worth the little extra time it takes to create your own BBQ sauce instead of store-bought, which doesn’t even compare.
I can’t wait to try more recipes out of this book. It seems like the most reliable and informational cookbook I’ve yet stumbled upon. Seriously, get yourself a copy!
Indoor BBQ Chicken, adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, minced
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Pound the thicker ends of the chicken as needed so the breasts are the same thickness all over. Pat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until light brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the skillet and return to medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ketchup, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, syrup and red pepper flakes, scraping up any browned bits.
Turn the heat to low. Return the chicken to the skillet, with any accumulated chicken juice, and coat with the sauce. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serves 4 people.