Chicken Maque Choux

Here it is at the end of summer and today I’m making a meal that I tend to make every year right about now.  I saw it in a magazine several years ago and once having made it, it has become a summer standard.  The dish changes from year to year depending on what vegetables I have on hand or what’s plentiful at the farmer’s market, making it a super versatile dish, with zucchini and other sumer vegetables making their way into the corn mixture.

Bone-in chicken thighs get rubbed with a savory mixture of cinnamon, cumin, garlic and onion powders, then they are sautéed  until crispy brown.  Fresh corn (or when out of season, canned or frozen corn), onions, tomatoes and bell peppers are added to the skillet to soak up the crispy brown bits in the pan, then the chicken is nestled in the mixture, covered and baked.  The vegetables soak up the yummy chicken juices for an easy dish that pleases and impresses everyone who tastes it.  Be sure to serve it with a baguette to soak up all those wonderful juices, or as I did today, serve with Israeli couscous, or rice.

Served with Israeli couscous, and heirloom tomato salad.

So here’s my rendition of Maque Choux (pronounced mock-shoe).  This braised chicken dish is of French Acadian and Native American origin, popular in Louisiana.

CHICKEN MAQUE CHOUX

Yield:    4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
  

  The veggie component plus the spice rub.

• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2  tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 8 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels  (about 6 large ears)
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.

2.  Combine the first 7 ingredients in a small bowl.  Rub on chicken thighs.

3.  Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet.  Add chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate.

Chicken thighs nicely browned.

4.  Combine onions, corn, tomato and bell pepper in the skillet.  Stir to blend.

Add all the vegetables to the fry pan and mix to coat with drippings.

Place chicken on top of corn mixture.

Nestle the chicken pieces on top.

Cover and bake 15 minutes.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until chicken is tender and juices run clear.

Chicken Maque Choux

SOURCE:  Gourmet magazine, old edition