Recipe: Southwestern Roast Chicken

SOUTHWESTERN ROAST CHICKEN

1/2 cup peanut oil
3 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 (3 1/2 pound) broiler fryer chickens
1/2 cup dried sage, divided
2 cloves garlic, halved and divided use
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp chopped purple onion
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 tsp salt
14 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Combine first 4 ingredients in container of electric blender; cover and process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Set aside.

Remove giblets and rinse chickens with cold water; pat dry. Place 1/4 cup sage and 1 halved garlic clove in cavity of each chicken. Tie ends of legs together with string. Lift wingtips up and over back, and tuck under bird. Place chickens on lightly greased rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up. Insert meat thermometer into meaty portion of thigh of 1 chicken, making sure it does not touch the bone. Brush chickens with oil mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 55 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees.

Remove sage and garlic from chicken cavities; set aside. Remove chicken to a serving platter; set aside, and keep warm.

Skim fat from pan drippings; reserve pan drippings. Combine reserved sage, garlic, vinegar, and next 4 ingredients in container of electric blender; cover and process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Add reserved pan drippings; process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides.

Serve chicken with sauce.

Source: Tastes & Traditions: The Sam Houston Heritage Cookbook by Study Club of Huntsville. TX