EDNA LEWIS'S OVEN-BRAISED SOUTHWEST CHICKEN

Edna Lewis's Oven-Braised Southwest Chicken image

In this recipe, which was featured in The Times in 1989, the chef Edna Lewis suggests braising chicken over hominy with a mélange of aromatic vegetables to make a one-dish meal that is both light and filling. When the bird is cooked, its juices meld with the vegetables to make a thin sauce that can be thickened with cream. Hominy can be found in the canned-vegetables aisle of your supermarket.

Provided by Regina Schrambling

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 chicken, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
2 16-ounce cans yellow hominy (do not use white)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 medium red or green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
6 shiitake or domestic mushrooms, stems removed, caps diced
3 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup dry vermouth
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
Salt to taste.

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Cut the chicken into serving pieces, or have the butcher do so. Heat a nonstick skillet over a high flame and sear the chicken on all sides, but do not brown. This will keep the skin from seizing up during the baking. Set aside on paper towels.
Drain the hominy in a sieve, rinse it and drain it again. Spoon into a 3-quart casserole with a lid. Arrange the chicken pieces on top.
Layer the onion, bell pepper, carrot, shiitakes and jalapenos on top. Sprinkle with the cumin, then crumble the oregano over. Season with pepper and place bay leaf on top. Pour the vermouth into the casserole, cover and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cooked through.
When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and discard the bay leaf. Add the cilantro and cream (if you like) to the casserole and mix to combine all the ingredients in the casserole. Season with salt to taste. Serve the chicken pieces with the hominy mixture alongside and spoon the juices over.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 671, UnsaturatedFat 22 grams, Carbohydrate 40 grams, Fat 34 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 45 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 1555 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams