Our Game Day Grub-fixing Guru, John Haman, shares his Sweat-Tea Fried Chicken recipe served with Orange-Poppy Seed Cole Slaw. Get your game-day eating face on, and sit down and eat, y’all!
Yep, you read that right: sweet-tea chicken. Tender chicken brined and marinated in a solution of brown-sugar-sweetened tea. Can you think of anything more southern?
Here is what I am thinking: Let’s beat the crap out of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, now that seven of those players who whipped us in Fayetteville have been drafted by the NFL. Seven!
To celebrate our New Jersey revenge in advance, I’m fryin’ some chicken. And, I’m sending a shout-out to all the Arkansas fans who are
actually making the long journey to see the game in New Jersey. Spotlight on one of my favorite couples, Kelley Bass and Ashli Ahrens, who will, no doubt, be leading most of the cheers in the Arkansas section. Go Hogs!
Wish I could take credit for the sweet-tea idea, but I picked it up off a Twitter post from http://www.myrecipes.com, and there’s not much to say about it, except that it’s incredible. The tannins in the tea help tenderize the chicken, and especially the fried skin on the bird takes on an incredible sweet-and-salty flavor you’ve probably never experienced before. The dark-meat pieces will taste the best, since the marinade will soak all the way into the meat.
Pairing the chicken with this easy sesame-orange slaw makes it perfection. I suggest finishing it off with some homemade lemonade, and say goodbye to summer weather with style.
Warning: You will need to brine the chicken overnight in the solution and let it sit for up to a day. So, plan to do this the Friday before game day.
Click here for the list of ingredients and the complete recipe.