“Cajun-style” Chicken Breast with Chili Bean Maque Choux

Name: “Cajun-style” Chicken Breast with Chili Bean Maque Choux
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each); 1 tablespoon olive or other vegetable oil, plus 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for sautéing; 2 tablespoons Creole or whole-grain mustard; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon each black and cayenne pepper; Maque Choux; 2 tablespoons chopped scallion; 2 ears sweet white or yellow corn, shucked and silk removed, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed; 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced; 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced fresh tomato, or canned tomato (with juices); 1 (14-ounce) can red beans, kidney beans, or chili beans (for a bit more heat), drained and liquid reserved; Salt; Hot sauce

December 14, 2011

A simple smear of Creole mustard (which gets added heat from horseradish) and a little extra seasoning gives a chicken breast new sass. Here, the chicken is paired with a speedy version of maque choux, a Louisiana sauté of beans and corn. You’d be hard-pressed to find a simpler, more satisfying weekday supper. For this dish the chicken breasts can be broiled, grilled, or pan-seared.

Recipe information

Yield
makes 4 servings

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)

1 tablespoon olive or other vegetable oil, plus 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for sautéing

2 tablespoons Creole or whole-grain mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon each black and cayenne pepper

Maque Choux

2 tablespoons chopped scallion

Maque Choux

2 ears sweet white or yellow corn, shucked and silk removed, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced fresh tomato, or canned tomato (with juices)

1 (14-ounce) can red beans, kidney beans, or chili beans (for a bit more heat), drained and liquid reserved

Salt

Hot sauce

Preparation

Step 1
If you plan on grilling the chicken, light the coals about 1/2 hour before you’re ready to cook.
Step 2
Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Combine the olive oil, mustard, salt, and spices and smear it on the chicken.
Step 3
Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to several hours, until you’re ready to cook. Meanwhile, make the maque choux.
Step 4
To cook the chicken, heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat excess marinade from the breasts and then sear for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. Alternatively, you can grill the chicken over hot coals or broil it.
Step 5
To serve, place a scoop of maque choux on each plate, garnish with chopped scallions, and top with a chicken breast. The corn and beans together provide a good amount of starch, so this dish needs nothing more than a tossed salad or a simple green vegetable. Of course, a big slice of warm corn bread would be delish too.
Maque Choux
Step 6
Cut the corn kernels from the cob, being careful not to cut too close to the cob (where the kernels become dry and starchy). Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet to foaming. Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes. Then add the corn, jalapeño, and garlic and stir to mix. Cook for about 3 more minutes, then add the tomato, beans, and 1/4 cup water or reserved bean liquid and season to taste with salt and a little hot sauce. Stir and cook until heated through, then swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Keep the vegetables warm while cooking the chicken.

From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf. Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook. Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.

TagsCajun & Creole Southern American Chicken Breast Chicken Poultry Corn Vegetable Kidney Bean Bean and Legume Main Dinner Gluten Free Easy Weeknight Meals Grilling Saute Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Maque Choux

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Maque Choux

Step 6

Recipe notes