Stranger Foods

Photograph of Cajun blackened chicken with dirty rice.

CajunCajun blackened chicken with dirty rice

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 40 mins

"Blackening" is a modern technique associated with Cajun cookery and involves the caramelisation of spices on the outside of the chicken of fish to provide a delicious edible crust. The chicken is served two Cajun staples - a fiery hot sauce and dirty rice (a delicious concoction of rice, vegetables and traditionally chicken liver or sausage).

Source: The Spicery

Ingredients

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x0.5

4 chicken breasts, butterflied to make them roughly the same thickness
100 g chorizo sausage, smoked bacon or chicken liver, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lemon
50 g butter
300 g long grain rice
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp vinegar (white wine or cider vinegar works best)
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Hot sauce spices

2 red chillies, finely chopped (seeds removed if you prefer less heat)

Rice spices

½ green pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

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Soak the hot sauce spices in 200 ml freshly boiled water from the kettle.
Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning all over the chicken.
Fry the onion, celery and chorizo in 2 tbsp oil for or until soft and beginning to brown. Stir in the rice, rice spices, ¼ tsp salt and 450 ml water then cover and cook for or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Leave to stand with the lid on for .
Fry the chicken in a large frying pan with 2 tbsp oil in on each side or until the spices are browned in patches and the chicken is cooked through.
Blend the soaked hot sauce spices (including all of the soaking water), vinegar, tomato puree and a big pinch of salt to a smooth sauce. Leave to one side.
Add the butter and juice of ½ the lemon to the chicken pan and stir to make a sauce.
Serve the chicken with the pan juices, dirty rice, hot sauce and remaining ½ lemon to squeeze over at the table.

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