Side surprise

This meal was one of those rare times where the side steals the show. The chicken is good and is a great fast and cheap option. But really, it's all about that blurry little pile of beans and corn in the background there. That, my friends, is succotash.


I know: I was a bit surprised to learn succotash is a real thing and not a word made up by cartoon cats. But further research tells me that succotash is derived from a traditional Native American dish combining beans and corn called msíckquatash. So there you go. You can experiment with other types of beans and additions as well (I’m thinking bacon. Use fresh corn if you can find it still, but frozen works fine too. I also added a little chopped chili to give mine a little extra kick.

Chili-honey chicken and succotash (adapted from Gourmet Magazine)

For the chicken
2 tablespoons chili powder (not pure chile powder)
1 tablespoon mild honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 whole chicken legs (2 lb), thighs and drumsticks separated

For the succotash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 jalepeno or small red chili, seeds and ribs removed
2 cups frozen shelled edamame (soy beans), thawed
2 cups thawed frozen or fresh corn.
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Line bottom of a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan with foil and set an oiled large metal rack in pan.

Stir together chili powder, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then add chicken and turn to coat completely.

Transfer chicken to rack, arranging in 1 layer, then bake, turning over once, until cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.

Halfway through the chicken’s cooking time, heat some butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add scallions and chopped pepper and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add edamame and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or so. Add corn, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Finally, add cream and cook, stirring, until cream is simmering and vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.