Pulled Chicken with Hoppin’ John and Greens

The local Winn Dixie had free magazines with shopping tips and recipes by Curtis Stone. 

I decided to try one of Curtis Stone’s recipes in an effort to eat something different.

 

Pulled Chicken with Hoppin’ John and Greens 

Prep  20 min.    Cook 1.5.hr.        Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. chicken leg quarters

• ½ cup dried black-eyed peas
• 8 oz. mustard greens, stemmed, rinsed, and coarsely chopped (I used turnip greens)
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• ½ green bell pepper, diced ( I used red and yellow peppers)
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice (I used boil- in- bag rice)
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf

Instructions:

1. In large pot, combine chicken, black-eyed peas, and 6 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes.
   
2. Stir in greens and simmer 15 minutes, or until peas and greens are tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid and solids separately. Cool chicken slightly. Discard chicken skin and bones. Shred and reserve meat with peas and greens.
   

3. In large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, sauté bacon 5 minutes, or until crisp. Using slotted spoon, remove bacon. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sautè 8 minutes, or until onion is tender. 

4. Stir in rice, bay leaf, 1 tbs. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Add 1¾ cups reserved cooking liquid, peas, chicken, and greens. Bring to a simmer. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes. 

5. Remove from heat. Fluff with fork. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon.

 Curtis Stone's

 Mine

Make-ahead
Chicken, black-eyed peas, and greens can be cooked (step 1) up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Rewarm over low heat before proceeding to step 2

Why I substituted

The grocer didn’t have mustard greens. 

I had red and yellow peppers in the fridge.

I’ve never been successful with rice so I used a boil-in-bag rice. I added the cooked rice at the latter stage of the recipe where listed.

My Comments

This recipe was bland at most even after adding additional seasonings. Different people have different tastes. This recipe wasn’t worth all of the time, preparation and dirty dishes I had to wash afterwards.   It may feed four but, they won’t be able to go back for seconds. I wanted to throw this out but, after all of the trouble I went through, not to mention using my perfectly good chicken thighs, I put it in containers, labeled it and put it in the freezer.  I’ll save it to put in homemade soup.

Since I wasn't satisfied with the meal, I opted for a nice dessert.

That's It ***