Author Notes
One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is update the treasured flavors and recipes of my upbringing. I was lucky enough to grow up on the now "Food52-famous" white barbecue sauce, since my mother is a proud Northwest Alabama transplant here in Nashville. It is always put out at meals when there is a plain roasted bird, or especially with grilled or smoked chicken. Living in a small apartment and cooking for just myself one evening, I was craving good, smoked meat and white sauce but I didn't want to drive somewhere to get it, only to be disappointed that it didn't compare to the sauce and bird of my beloved matriarchs. —WhileItRises
Ingredients
- White Sauce
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3/4 cup
Good mayonnaise
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1/2 cup
Apple cider vinegar
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1 tablespoon
Liquid smoke; may seem weird if you aren't familiar but it is actually all natural and delicious.
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Dash
Cayenne
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Salt and lots of pepper to taste
- Poached Chicken and Salad
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3 cups
Apple cider
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3 tablespoons
Apple cider vinegar
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3 tablespoons
Good mustard
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1/4 cup
Liquid smoke
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3 tablespoons
Sweet tomato-based BBQ sauce
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2 teaspoons
Cayenne
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Salt and pepper
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4
Skinless chicken thighs; could use any cut of chicken if preferred
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5
Strips of smoky bacon, 2 kept whole and 3 diced
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1
Large apple, peel left on and diced
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2-3
Green onions, sliced thinly along the bias
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2 cups
Salad greens, I used a spinach and arugula mix
Directions
- White Sauce
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Whisk all ingredients together and store in the fridge.
- Poached Chicken and Salad
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Combine all ingredients from apple cider to cayenne in a medium pot. Mix thoroughly. Taste, then salt and pepper until balanced. Place the chicken and 2 whole strips of bacon in the pot. If you're using a different part of the chicken and it is not covered, add more cider until it is covered. Bring to just below a simmer. Cook until chicken is done, can't recommend a thermometer enough for this.
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Meanwhile, prep your diced bacon, apples, and green onions. When the chicken is about halfway done, start frying the bacon in a nonstick skillet. Once golden brown and crispy, turn off the heat, leaving the skillet in the same place and mix the apples in, coating them in bacony deliciousness. Add just a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper.
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Once the chicken is done, prepare your plates. Lay down about a 1/2 cup of greens per serving, and spoon the bacon and apples over the greens. Don't be afraid of the drippings. Place a piece of chicken on top, and generously drizzle the white sauce over the salad and the chicken. Top with plenty of green onions, and enjoy.
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