3 Parter: Spicy Honey Chicken, KFC copycat coleslaw, twice baked potato

The night I made this meal I think I was being over ambitious! Fortunately I had the coleslaw left over from the meal the night before but just with the twice baked potatoes and chicken it was a lot of work for one meal but let me tell you it WAS worth it. The spicy honey chicken is from another blogger that pinned the recipe onto pinterest as well as the KFC slaw. The chicken is fairly simple and you probably already have the majority of the ingredients in your pantry. I did substitute the fresh garlic for garlic powder as well as eliminate the coriander because I didn’t have any. I don’t really think that by doing either messed with the integrity of the dish because the main star is the honey! A few years ago I wouldn’t have touched a dish like this because I would have thought honey wouldn’t be good and would be too sweet for my liking but man let me tell you it’s delish on this chicken recipe.

As for the coleslaw I stuck with the exact ingredients/measurements and it really does taste like KFC’s slaw. One batch usually lasts a few meals so I make it at the beginning of the week and incorporate it into a few dishes that saves on time, effort and money for the rest of the week.

On a side note: Did you know that you can freeze any left over buttermilk? Buttermilk isn’t exactly easy to find nor is it cheap here on the west coast so when I found a little article about freezing left over buttermilk I tried it with the left over milk from this first time I tried this recipe and I used some of the frozen milk already to make pancakes and a 2nd making of the coleslaw. It doesn’t ruin the milk at all you just have to remember to sit out the milk the night before you want to use it so it’s thawed. I put my left over milk in 1 cup portions in small mason jars but I have seen online that you can freeze it in ice cube trays as well.

The twice baked potatoes I saw one weekend when I was watching Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen and actually the whole meal he did looked delicious but I decided to just try the potato for now. Don’t you just love all the Deens? I like how both Jamie and Bobby have taken what they’ve learned from their mamma and made it their own with Bobby’s show being about making Paula’s dishes healthier and Jamie’s show about having dinner made and actually eating it at a table with his family. Does this happen in any household anymore?? Sidetracked…let’s get back to the food instead of my obsession with the Deens 🙂 

I think if you decide to make just 1 of these 3 recipes you’ll be completely satisfied 🙂

’til next time,

Crys

Spicy Honey Chicken:

Ingredients:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (you could use breasts as well but thighs stay more moist)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Rub:
2 teaspoons granulated garlic (you can sub 1 teaspoon garlic powder here)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Glaze:
1/2 cup Honey
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar

Instructions:
Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the honey glaze for later after the chicken has cooked to pour on right before serving. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

If you don’t have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

KFC Copycat Slaw:

Ingredients

DRESSING:
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/4 cup milk
    • 1/4 cup buttermilk
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
SLAW:
  • 1 head of cabbage
  • 1 medium carrot (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons minced onion

Instructions

  1. Chop cabbage into chunks and run through your food processor, or chop fine.
  2. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a large bowl, whisk well.
  3. Combine cabbage, carrots, and onion and toss well. Pour dressing over the slaw and turn to coat well.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving to allow the cabbage to soak up the marinade. Overnight is best.

Cheddar and Bacon Twice Baked Potatoes:

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon
  • 6 large russet potatoes, well-scrubbed and dried
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 ounces grated sharp Cheddar (1 cup)
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lay the bacon on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 25 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet to a paper-towel-lined plate. Crumble once cooled.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake the potatoes until crisp on the outside and completely cooked through, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Use a paring knife to cut a canoe shape from the top of each potato. Discard the top. Use a small spoon to remove the flesh from the potatoes to a bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch shell.

Reserve a small sprinkling of the cheese and green onions.

Mash the potatoes with the sour cream, butter, cheese, green onions, and some salt and pepper. Add the potato filling evenly back to the skins, dividing equally. Sprinkle each potato with the reserved cheese and green onions. Place each potato back on the baking sheet and bake until heated through and golden, about 25 minutes.

Read More: http://amandascookin.com/2010/06/kfc-coleslaw-recipe.html , http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/05/girl-who-didnt-eat-everything.html , http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-deen/cheddar-and-bacon-twice-baked-potatoes-recipe/index.html

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