Chicken Ya Ya
Submitted by dharmaloud
Cajun-spiced baked chicken smothered in a sticky orange-honey sauce with bell peppers, celery, and a kick of hot sauce. Low-calorie, big flavor, pure Louisiana soul.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsIf you’ve never hollered “ya ya!" at a piece of chicken, honey, you’re about to.
This Cajun classic gets rubbed down with red pepper, chili powder, and paprika, then baked under a blanket of orange juice, honey, and tomato paste that caramelizes into something downright sinful.
The holy trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper keeps things rooted in Louisiana tradition while ginger and Worcestershire add depth that’ll have folks guessing your secret.
Baste it often, let those edges get sticky and dark, and serve it up proud.
Chef Tips
- Don’t skip the basting. Every 10 minutes during that uncovered stretch builds layers of glossy, caramelized goodness on the chicken.
- Use fresh-squeezed orange juice if you can get it. The difference between fresh and carton is night and day in this sauce.
- Serve over rice to catch every last drop of that spicy-sweet pan sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Arrange the chicken halves in an eight inch baking dish sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.
Combine the salt, red pepper, chili powder and paprika; mix well and sprinkle over the chicken; set aside.
In a medium skillet over high heat, melt the margarine.
Add the onions, bell pepper and celery; sauté, stirring constantly for five minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredients.
Cook, constantly stirring, for five more minutes, or until thge sauce thickens, then remove from the heat and pour over the chicken.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and baste with the sauce.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes longer, or until the chicken is tender, basting often.
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