RECIPE: Doin’ the Spicy Chicken!

Inspiration is a wonderful thing! After attending a spectacular wine dinner at the Bridge Road Bistro recently, I was inspired by the culinary virtuosity of chef Paco Aceves to create my own plebeian version of gastronomic heaven. It's a dish I’ll call “Doin the Spicy Chicken.”

If you’re old enough, you probably remember doing the “Funky Chicken.” While that dance required a few nimble moves, laying down steps for the Spicy Chicken is a lot easier, and today I’m going to tell you how. I’m also going to suggest a few wines that will not only tame that chicken, but also enhance the flavors of this nifty little dish. If you haven’t done so already, it is definitely time to dust off the old grill and get ready to barbeque some de-feathered edibles! Here’s how:

Doin' the Spicy Chicken Recipe 1. Buy two frying chickens, remove those unspeakable parts from the cavity and cut off any excess chicken fat.

2. Then work a long, thin, boning knife under the skin of the chicken (all over if possible) and create pockets between this skin and the meat.

3. Now mix together a teaspoon each of chili powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin. Add to this mixture three tablespoons of olive oil and three finely chopped garlic cloves. This should have a pasty consistency.

4. With a small spoon, put about half the mixture under the skin of the chickens. Rub the rest inside the cavity and all over the outside of the chicken.

5. Prepare one-half cup each of wild rice and brown rice separately. Follow the instructions on the package for preparation of the rice. When cooked, blend the rice together and put to the side to cool.

6. In a sauté pan, heat four tablespoons of olive oil and add one-half cup each of chopped onion, green pepper and celery.

7. Finely dice one jalapeno pepper and add to the pan three ounces of slivered almonds.

8. Sauté the mixture for about seven minutes and mix with the rice. Salt and pepper to taste.

9. When the rice mixture reaches room temperature, stuff the chickens and prepare your grill.

10. If you have a charcoal grill, move the hot coals to either side of the kettle and put the chickens in the center (not directly over the coals) and put the cover on the grill. With a gas grill, just light one side and place the chickens on the other side.

11. When the wings pull easily from the bird (usually after about one hour) the chicken is cooked and you’ve done the Spicy Chicken!

SO, WHICH WINES will not only stand up to this spicy bird, but also enhance enjoyment of the overall meal? Here are three that will do the trick.

2004 Palazzo Della Torre ($22) – This zinfandel-like red (photo at right)  from the Veneto region of Italy takes Valpolicella to a whole new level of intensity. Rich, robust and full of dark fruit flavors, this wine is an excellent choice with the dish.

Cristalino Cava Brut ($12) – Cava is the term for sparkling wine in Spain and, while it is made in the Champagne method, it is lighter, less complex and more sprightly than the stuff from France. The Cristalino not only cuts through the spiciness of the dish, it also provides a thirst-quenching element along with green apple flavors and crisp acidity.

2005 Barossa Jack Shiraz ($14) – Named after his Jack Russell terrier, the winemaker at Barossa Jack has made a wine that is definitely no dog. This baby has a nice balance of dark fruit flavors, spice and acidity that will marry with our spicy chicken.