Chipotle Honey Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Although I have been tempting you with cream cheese brownies, I do realize that a LOT of people resolve to slim down after the holidays. I think you are all crazy but that's mostly because I think brownies are just too good to give up!

But, this recipe is proof that healthy food really can be flavorful and delicious. A word of caution - This recipe is SPICY! I happen to love spicy food and my husband is learning to love it, so we were fine with the recipe as is. But, I do know that some people don't like the heat of chipotle....so I have some suggestions for those who don't like things so hot....

You could:
1. Reduce the number of chipotles you use...this uses 4 but you could use 2 or less...or just use the adobo sauce rather than mincing and including the actual chipotle.
2. Skip tossing the sweet potatoes with the paste. I thought the sweet potatoes were pretty spicy (although delicious!) - maybe even more spicy than the chicken! Just add them to the roasting pan plain.


Chipotle Honey Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, by Melissa Clark
serves 6

4 sweet potatoes (10 ounces each), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbs olive oil
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs honey, plus more for drizzling
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
chopped cilantro, (optional - for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, chipotles, garlic, honey, vinegar, salt, cumin, and cinnamon. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 teaspoons of the paste. Toss with the sweet potatoes.

Scatter the potatoes on the bottom of a roasting pan, and bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, rub the chicken breasts with the remaining paste.

Stir the potatoes. Carefully place the chicken on top of the sweet potatoes, and continue to roast until the chicken is just cooked through (registers 165 on an instant read thermometer), about 15-20 minutes longer.

Divide the potatoes and chicken evenly among serving plates and drizzle with remaining honey and garnish with cilantro. Serve and enjoy!.

Summer Ribs

These ribs were my first attempt and I am so happy with the way they turned out! Using a combination of low and slow in the oven (to make them fall-off-the-bone tender) and grilling (to give them nice browning and a crispy crust) made the ribs incredible! Instead of marinating the ribs in liquid, a dry rub is used to infuse the meat with flavor and provide a delicious crust on the outside.

For the dry rub, you can add in any seasonings you like. I always use red pepper (cayenne), garlic powder, and black pepper. However, sometimes I will add in thyme, oregano, or any other herbs that sound good that day! The important thing to remember is to stick to the 3:2:1 ratio in any combination. 3 parts sugar, 2 parts salt, 1 part seasoning. Plus, this isn't an exact science, so "a little of this, a little of that" works fine! I also have a few different dry rubs if you look under "Spice Rubs" on the left sidebar. Any of these would work great!

The cooking liquid was a bit of an experiment, but it worked great! Typically, water is used, but I always try to find more ways to infuse more flavor. Plus, I didn't want my ribs to have a "boiled" or watery taste. Using Dr. Pepper was a risk, but it's what I had on hand and thought it would add a nice sweet-smokey flavor. It's what really made them great - so have faith in me and give it a try!

Summer Ribs

2 full racks of pork ribs, silver skin removed

Foil

Dry Rub:

3 parts brown sugar and white sugar

2 parts salt

1part seasonings - I used garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper

Cooking liquid:

1/2 C. Dr. Pepper

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. Worchestershire

1 T. honey
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a small bowl, combine desired dry rub ingredients and set aside.

Using the foil, create a foil packet for each rib rack.

Place the ribs on the foil. Take the ribs and flip them over. Using a knife to help get started, tear away the membrane on the underside of the ribs (silver skin) and discard. Rub and massage the dry rub into the ribs. Seal the ribs in the foil packet and let them sit in the fridge at least a few hours or overnight (the longer the better!).

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. In a small sauce pan, combine the cooking liquid ingredients. Heat until combined and the honey is dissolved in the liquid. Place the rib packets on a baking sheet (to catch any liquid). Carefully open one end of each rib packet. Divide the liquid among the packets and reseal. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Remove the ribs from the packets and place on a preheated grill until you get nice grill marks and the ribs are heated through. Brush with any excess cooking liquid. Top with your favorite bbq sauce and enjoy!

Spice Rubs and Homemade BBQ Sauces

For Father's Day, I really wanted to do something special for my dad. He's a great guy who's always helping other people. He's also a great cook and I learned a lot of my recipes and cooking techniques (or lack-thereof!) from him. Whenever I am out of dinner ideas or want to test out a new pie recipe, I know I can always count on Dad. Plus, I love that he likes to experiment with food! So for Father's Day, I decided to make him some spice rubs and homemade bbq sauces that he can try. Spice Rubs

All-Purpose Spice Rub

makes 1 1/4 cups

(Adapted from Everyday Food)

1/3 C. coarse sea salt
1/4 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. paprika

2 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbs. dried oregano
2 Tbs. dried thyme

1 Tbs. cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Use a fork or your fingers to break up any brown sugar lumps. Store in an air-tight container up to 6 months.

Lisa's Creole Seasoning

makes 2/3 cup

2 1/2 Tbs. smoked paprika

2 1/2 Tbs. coarse sea salt

2 Tbs. garlic powder

1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbs. onion powder

1 Tbs. cayenne pepper

1 Tbs. dried oregano

1 Tbs. dried thyme

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container up to 6 months

Sweet 'N Spicy Paprika Rub

(Adapted from Everyday Food)
4 tsp. paprika

3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. packed brown sugar

3 tsp. coarse sea salt

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container up to 6 months

Maple Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 C. ketchup

1/4 C. real maple syrup

1/4 C. packed dark brown sugar

2 Tbs. spicy brown mustard

1 to 3 chipotles in adobo, chopped

3 Tbs. adobo sauce (from the chipotle peppers)

In a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients. Summer, whisking occasionally until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Down Home BBQ Sauce

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

3/4 C. onion, finely chopped

2 Tbs. garlic, pressed or minced

4 C. ketchup

1/2 C. plus 2 Tbs. packed brown sugar

1/2 C. cider vinegar

1/4 C. Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbs. hot sauce

2 Tbs. spicy brown mustard

2 Tbs. Creole Seasoning

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions are softened, about 4 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Rib Sauce

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 C. ketchup

1 C. beef broth

3/4 C. cider vinegar

1/4 C. plus 2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 40 minutes.

BBQ Sauces