Haitian Hot Chicken with Quick Pickles (Pikliz)

S5 E21 | Little People Make Good Hot Sauce! | Brad Williams + Chris Porter | Something's Burning

Comedians Brad Williams and Chris Porter swing by the kitchen to test out Brad’s new hot sauce line while we cook up some Haitian hot chicken. There’s a lot of sweat, a lot of jokes, and more than one inappropriate story. And yes—there’s quick pickled cabbage on the side.

Haitian Hot Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 6–8 chicken drumsticks (skin on)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 scallions, roughly chopped
  • 5 sprigs parsley
  • 7 sprigs thyme
  • 2–4 deseeded habaneros
  • ½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 bouillon cube
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp butter (plus more for bread)
  • Slices of white bread (for serving)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  1. Cut slits in the chicken legs. Place in a bowl.
  2. Make marinade by blending garlic, scallions, parsley, thyme, habaneros, juice of 1 lime, and 1 tbsp oil. Reserve 2 tbsp of marinade separately.
  3. Rub chicken with lime and orange segments. Coat with marinade and rest covered (25 minutes to overnight).
  4. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium. Add sugar and allow to caramelize.
  5. Scrape marinade off chicken and brown in Dutch oven (about 11–15 min).
  6. Remove chicken. Lower heat and sauté bell peppers with salt and pepper for 2 minutes.
  7. Add tomato paste, garlic powder, bouillon, and reserved marinade. Cook 4 minutes.
  8. Add 2 cups water. Simmer, return chicken, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  9. Add onions and butter. Simmer uncovered another 5–10 minutes. Serve hot over buttered bread.

Quick Pickles (Pikliz)

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups finely sliced red and green cabbage
  • 1 medium carrot, julienned
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 habaneros, quartered
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups distilled white vinegar
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 cup water

Steps:

  1. Pack cabbage, carrots, shallots, habaneros, thyme, cloves, and garlic into a 1.5 qt glass jar.
  2. In a pot, bring vinegar, lime juice, salt, and water to a boil. Pour hot mixture into the jar over the veggies.
  3. Seal the jar and turn gently to coat all contents. Let cool and refrigerate until serving.
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