Monday, November 10, 2008

Chicken with sausage, orzo, and chickpeas


This combines a wide array of flavors and allows them to meld into a fresh, new dish, that somehow maintains a vague, almost rustic Old World familiarity. Such ingredients such as the cilantro, parsley, and scallions provide a base flavor that’s unmistakable in Italian and indeed in most Mediterranean cooking. However, the unexpected presence of jalapeno and the manner of the use of the honey makes a delightful twist on a classic. The kick from the jalapeno is a welcomed change, while the sweet flavor of the honey on the chicken and spicy sausage melds beautifully with the other, more at home flavors in the dish.

12 pieces of chicken (legs and thighs)
6 pieces of hot sausage
4 cloves garlic
3 stalks of celery
½ a cup of cilantro
½ a cup of parsley
1 bunch of scallions
juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons vinegar
¼ a cup of honey
¼ cup of ketchup
½ a jalapeno, no seeds
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon Living the Gourmet Dry Herb Rub
1 tablespoon Signature Spice Mix
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop garlic, celery, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, scallions, and jalapeno. Place in large baking dish.

Mix vinegar, honey, lemon, and ketchup. Add Living the Gourmet Dry Herb Rub and Signature Spice Mix to the vinegar and honey mixture. Place this mixture over the chopped vegetables. Mix and add chicken and sausage, until the chicken and sausage are thoroughly coated.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden.

Orzo and Chickpeas

1 box orzo
1 cup parsley
4 cloves of garlic
juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Living the Gourmet Dry Herb Rub
¼ cup olive oil
1-1 lb. 13 oz can chickpeas.

Cook orzo as directed on box.

Chop parsley and garlic. Add to cooked and drained orzo.

In cup combine lemon juice, Living the Gourmet Dry Herb Rub, and olive oil. Drizzle this over orzo. Add drained chickpeas.

Toss and serve.

Cook, eat and bon appetite!

1 comments:

Sophie said...

I like how this is hearty like a stew but seems to offer many more flavors and textures. It's so colorful too, I can definitely see how it can be compared to an old world dish with a twist :). I'd love to feature it on our blog, please email me if you're interested. Have a great weekend!

Sophie, Key Ingredient Chief Blogger
sophie@keyingredient.com