In some ways, the chicken recipe below is perfect for summer. It’s perfect because it’s messy to eat. I always think of summer meals as a bit sloppy — think of watermelon, that perfect food in these warm months. Or coleslaw. Or ice cream!
On the other hand, this chicken is not an ideal summer food because its preparation entails turning on the oven, something I am loath to do in hot weather. If I were a skilled griller, I could probably figure out how to bake the chicken on the grill. I’m not much of a griller, so when I made it I braved the heat and baked.
Happily, my guests and I could spend the entire evening on my screened porch. By the time we went back into the house after several hours of feasting and conversation, the exhaust fan and the elapsed time had managed to dissipate most of the lingering heat from the oven.
I was inspired to seek out this recipe years ago by Ginny Ray of Shelburne Falls. Ginny told me that Cliff and Kelly Phillips of Buckland were making a culinary splash in the village with Cliff’s Smokin’ Backyard Barbecue. I spent several years in East Tennessee, where I learned to love barbecue, so I was eager to seek out Cliff and Kelly’s setup.
Every Friday night the pair offered a special meal at the local VFW post, and in warm weather one could find them there on other days as well serving simpler fare. Cliff parked a huge smoker outside the VWF building and generated wonderful smells. I tasted and savored his pulled pork.
I learned that although Cliff was a heavy-equipment operator by training, he had launched the barbecue business because he had happy memories of working with his father on pig roasts and barbecues for a variety of organizations. He certainly looked happy in his work. I asked Kelly for a recipe, and she responded with a family favorite that she described as “yummy in your tummy.”
The secret ingredient in Cliff’s chicken recipe may surprise you: Miracle Whip salad dressing. In fact, I had never purchased Miracle Whip before making this dish. I gathered from Kelly that something about it — the texture or the flavor — was necessary, so I sought out a jar.
You may be familiar with it, but in case you’re not here’s a brief description. Basically, Miracle Whip is a lot like mayonnaise. Developed as a less expensive alternative to mayo by Kraft Foods during the Great Depression, it’s sweeter, thanks to that bane of nutritionists, high-fructose corn syrup. It also adds in extra vinegar and spices. A recent grocery-store run told me that this product is still generally less expensive than mayonnaise, although not hugely so.
Cliff’s chicken came out of my oven just a little crunchy and very moist indeed, thanks to its high fat content. I do not make it very often. Although you might not always guess it from reading this column, I do try to keep my diet reasonably healthy. The chicken is a fun occasional dietary extravagance, however.
Cliff Phillips died about a decade ago and moved on to that big smoker in the sky. His wife, Kelly, keeps Cliff’s Smokin’ Backyard Barbecue going with catering work. For more details, visit her website, cliffssmokinbackyardbbq.com.
Cliff’s ‘I Have No Fear of Cholesterol’ Potato-Chip Chicken
Ingredients:
1 cut-up chicken
1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing (plus more if needed)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
hot sauce to taste
1 large bag potato chips, crumbled (These can be any flavor you like; Kelly says ridged ones work best. I went a little lighter and used about half of a 14-ounce bag, but one could use a few more, I suppose!)
Instructions:
Pat the pieces of chicken dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine the rest of the ingredients (except the potato chips), adjusting for taste with the pepper and hot sauce.
Coat the chicken pieces with this mixture and then roll and press them well into the crumbled chips. Arrange them on a baking sheet, making sure not to overcrowd.
Bake the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken juices run clear.
Serve with your favorite salad and barbeque sauce. Serves 4 to 6.
Tinky Weisblat is an award-winning cookbook author and singer known as the Diva of Deliciousness. Visit her website, TinkyCooks.com.