Menu
Pickle Brined Fried Chicken with Comeback Sauce
Sautéed Green Beans
Chocolate Caramel Graham Cracker Cookies
I always try to make Saturday night special, but that doesn’t mean it has to be fancy. This menu I served on the first night of Spring is quite a bit more casual than our average Saturday night – but it was a huge hit with John, and a fun change of pace.
The Pickle-Brined Fried Chicken is boneless so it cooks through in minutes; thighs are so much juicier and more flavorful than breasts, and even juicier still after a soak in pickle brine (the simplest and most impactful marinade ever).
I often serve this crispy chicken on a bun; with a smear of creamy, chili-spiked Comeback Sauce it’s way better than any of the popular fast food versions. For this dinner menu, I skipped the bun but kept the Comeback Sauce for dipping. It’s a versatile condiment that livens up burgers, sandwiches and all kinds of finger foods, and keeps forever in the fridge.
Mac and cheese is a classic side for fried chicken; this stovetop version is quick to make and super creamy. For a hit of bright color on the plate, I chose beans but any green vegetable will do.
In keeping with the simple-yet-special theme, I made Chocolate Caramel Graham Cracker Cookies for dessert. Adapted from an old recipe handed down by my grandmother, these caramel-coated, pecan-sprinkled, chocolate-drizzled cookies are incredibly easy to make, but truly impressive with a flavor and texture similar to chocolate covered buttercrunch candy.
During dinner we listened to Frank as usual, but while I was developing and making this American-style meal I was also working on a Blues playlist. This playlist includes some of the great standards by Blues icons, and a few lesser known and unexpected choices sprinkled in to make things interesting. It turned out to be a great playlist for Spring – upbeat and lively, full of energy. Listen on Spotify.
The Game Plan
- Start brining the chicken early in the day, or the day before.
- Make the cookies early in the day.
- About an hour and fifteen minutes before you want to serve dinner, start making the mac and cheese. Cover the pot and set it aside while making the chicken.
- Fry the chicken in two batches. When the chicken is done, set it aside for 5 minutes while you sauté the green beans and reheat the mac and cheese.
- For a detailed game plan with timing and sequencing for preparing all the dishes in this menu, click on the image below.
