Pollo al Diavolo

In honor of Halloween, I thought I’d whip up a little Devil’s Chicken.  This is basically a Mario Batali recipe that I’ve changed a little (very little).  I’ve made it a couple of times and it’s really fantastic. 

You start with a whole chicken or a split one, depending on what you have.  You could do this with chicken pieces, too.  Simply adjust the cooking time a little.  I sprinkle my chicken with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and cayenne on both sides.  Rub it in a little and let it rest for at least a half hour, overnight in the fridge wouldn’t hurt anything either.

I line a pan with foil and roast the chicken on a rack at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, skin side up.  Take it out and coat it with a mixture of 1/4 cup of freshly ground pepper (yes, I said 1/4 cup), 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and a tablespoon of olive oil.  This seems like overkill on the black pepper, but it turns out great.  Roast for another 30 minutes or so, until the juices run clear when it’s pierced with a fork.  The pepper will form a crust on the already crispy skin of the chicken. 

This is perfectly good as it is.  But, old Mario suggests making a spicy oil to drizzle over the chicken.  I love this oil.  The smoked Spanish paprika gives it a little sweetness, along with the smoke.  You combine a cup of olive oil, 4 jalapenos, seeded and diced, 1 tablespoon hot pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika.  Cook this over medium heat.  He says, until the oil reaches 175 degrees.  I actually did test the temp.  Then you’re supposed to let it sit overnight.  Sure.  If you’ve planned ahead, that would be optimum.  I let it sit for a couple of hours, strained out the solids and put it in a jar.  It’s very tasty.  When I get more organized, I’ll make it again and let it sit overnight with all the stuff in it and drain out the solids the next day.  The oil really adds a lot to an already tasty chicken dish.  Once you’ve made it, you can keep it in the fridge for several weeks.  3 weeks out on the counter.

Halloween… perfect time for a little Devil’s Chicken and a good scary movie.  We’re going to give ”Drag Me to Hell” a shot tonight.  If it’s not good, who cares?  It’s Halloween!