A maple syrup contest from purecanadamaple.com got me thinking of a recipe including both maple syrup and beer. The above (recipe below) is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
2 large split chicken breasts (best chicken breast cut in my opinion)
1 small container chipotle peppers (w/ adobo sauce)
1 bottle of Pure maple syrup
4 or 5 large carrots (sliced thin on a bias)
1 bag of baby potatoes
1 bottle of Revolver Blood & Honey (wheat beer made w/ blood orange and honey)
Soy sauce
1 orange (will use the juice and zest) - use a blood orange if available
1 stick of butter (what of it?)
Flour
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped chives for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 425 deg
2. Season chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper
3. While oven is preheating, make the maple chipotle glaze by adding a couple of chipotle peppers w/ adobo sauce and a whole bottle of pure maple syrup to a blender. Add a pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
4. With a brush, liberally brush chicken breasts with the glaze
5. In a large bowl season carrots and potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and a drizzle of the glaze
6. In a large cast iron skillet brush olive oil on bottom. Add chicken breasts with potatoes and carrots on either side.
7. Place cast iron skillet in the middle of the oven
8. Cook for 20-25 minutes (depending on size of chicken, or until internal temp reaches 150 deg), occasionally re-glazing
9. Turn broiler on
10. Place chicken under broiler and cook an additional 5-10 minutes until glaze is crispy on chicken
11. Take cast iron out of oven. Place chicken, carrots and potatoes on a plate and cover until serving
12. With same cast iron, over medium heat on the stove, add 1 stick of butter
13. Once melted, add about 5 tablespoons of flour (might need more, just depends on how much fat dripped from the chicken as well)
14. Whisk together until a good roux is formed
15. Cook roux for about 5 minutes (this will get the flour taste out)
16. Start adding the Revolver Blood & Honey slowly while whisking (make sure to whisk hard to get all the goodies off the bottom as well). Add until desired sauce consistency is reached. Bring to a boil to see how thick it is (remember, can always add more if too thick)
17. Once desired consistency is reached, add a few dashes of soy sauce and the juice and zest of one orange
18. Take off heat and add one tablespoon of cold butter (this will finish the sauce and make a nice sheen to it)
Presentation
Add potatoes and carrots on bottom of plate. Place glazed chicken breast on top. Pour sauce over chicken and around carrots and potatoes. Top with chopped chives. The sweet and spicy glaze on the chicken pairs so perfectly with the sauce and beer you might just fall out of your chair.
Pair with Revolver Blood & Honey (of course!).
Leftovers? Breakfast tacos!
