Punch Drunk Chicken

I like my chicken sauced. Cooking with alcohol adds a whole other element, sometimes I even put it in the food! (cheeky, I know). I especially like when I get to light it on fire and impress everyone in the room. However, a word to the wise: do not attempt to light rum on fire on a boat, open flame in small spaces can be disastrous. Despite the calamity, my Caramelized Rum & Nutmeg Plantains did turn out divine.

Anyway, I found this Rum Chicken recipe awhile ago on a cooking website called Bell' Alimento. The recipe calls for chicken thighs. When I used chicken thighs the first time I made the recipe, I was not pleased with how greasy they turned out and how much fat was on the chicken. You can use either skin-on or skinless chicken breasts or a whole chopped chicken works well too. I did skinless this time and it turned out great. I do like the benefits of skin-on chicken however, because it protects the chicken from getting overdone too quickly and it keeps the juices in the chicken, making it moist and flavorful. This recipe is simple and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. I grow sage in my herb garden. I just love sage's unique flavor and have been trying to incorporate it more into my menu. Its earthy, ancient aroma works best with hearty wintertime meals, in pastas and with heavier sauces. And there is just something stunning about sage with browned butter and a hint of nutmeg. Since the weather has been so flaky here, I have been bouncing around with winter and springtime meals. My poor body is confused. I served this meal with wild rice and a quick slaw; shredded cabbage mixed with sour cream, lime juice, avocado and cumin. The wine I brought home from the wine shop is probably too heavy for this meal, but I believe that food and wine pairings are all a matter of taste, drink what you like. It was a Cab, Malbec, Merlot blend from Mendoza, Argentina, which is fabulous, and I enjoyed it with my meal, however a steak or hearty red pasta would have been an even better accompaniment. The heavier sauce helped bulk up the light chicken, so you could serve it with a Pinot Noir or a lighter Zinfandel if you wanted a red, or a beefy Chardonnay if you are in the mood for a white wine. I use a spiced rum for the sauce because it has such a great flavor. Sailor Jerry Navy spiced rum is my rum of choice for all occasions. Make sure you reduce the sauce so it's thick and gravy-like. With the spices from the rum, this sauce makes you want to lick your plate. Maybe it's time to rethink traditional Thanksgiving gravy...

Rum Chicken

Serves 2-4

4 large chicken breasts

3 tbsp butter

olive oil

4 fresh sage leaves

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup spiced rum

large pinch of Nutmeg

salt & pepper

Rinse and pat chicken dry. Season chicken with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat saute pan to medium high heat, add a small amount of olive oil to prevent butter from burning. Add butter. As soon as the butter is melted, add the chicken and brown on all sides until golden and crisp. Add sage leaves and nutmeg and let saute for a minute. Add chicken broth and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and add rum. Place a lid on top of the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan and turn up the heat to medium, stirring until the sauce has been reduced by about half of the original amount. Remove the pan from heat and let stand for a minute, sauce will continue to thicken.