De-Boned Half Chicken with Sweet Potato Eggplant Gravy

Both the chicken and the gravy recipe are based on recipes from Louisiana Kitchen by Paul Prudhomme.

For the Chicken

1 whole chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced fine

Salt and pepper to taste

Separate the leg quarters from the chicken, leg and thigh together, skin on. Remove the breast off the chicken, split them down the middle so you have two breasts, also skin on.

You should save all scraps, bones, and pieces to make a chicken stock either for the gravy that follows or for next time. These will freeze well if using later.

From the bacK of the leg quarters, cut along the bone. Remove the bone leaving the leg quarters in one piece, de-boned with the skin on. Remove any ligaments from where the top of the leg was attached. Kitchen shears can be helpful.

From the back of the breast cut the meat off the bones, leaving the skin on.

Season the four pieces we are using with salt and pepper.

Place the breast skin side up. Lay the leg quarter, also skin side up on top the breast and fold the excess around the breast plumping it up into an oval shape. Repeat.

Pour the oil into a casserole dish. Place the diced onion in the bottom of the pan and lay the two prepared pieces on top the onion. Like This. The picture shows butter instead of oil. I prefer olive oil.

When the gravy is about an hour from being ready, place the casserole in a preheated 425 F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should be a minimum of 160 F. Out The Oven

For the Gravy

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large yellow onion, large dice

3 garlic toes

Salt and pepper to taste, consider black, white and red pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

8 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup of sliced green onion

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the eggplant and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, scraping the bottom to prevent scorching.

Add half the sweet potatoes and all the onions. Cook for five minutes, stirring often, scraping the bottom. Should look like this

Add the garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to mix and add one cup of stock. Return to boil and stir to clean the bottom of the pot. Add another 5 cups of stock, about a cup at a time, returning to boil before adding more stock.

Add rest of the sweet potatoes, return to boil and lower heat to simmer. Simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. You should have 2 more cups of stock that you can add if needed.

Puree your gravy using an immersion blender, blender, or processor. Return it to the pot and continue to simmer until it reaches your desired consistency.

Remove from heat and add the sliced green onions. Taste and adjust seasonings.

I served it with a scoop of cornbread dressing. My first plate.

My second serving

bon appetit