BURKINA FASA: Bicycle Chicken and Spiced Haricots Verts

The marinade on this chicken was not only delicious, but rather a stunning color for showcasing the grill marks. The beans were excellent as well!

Bicycle chicken is typically made with a whole chicken, but I used chicken pieces to cut down on cooking time. If you want to reduce it further you do not need to brine/parboil — you can simply marinate and extend the grilling time.

Bicycle Chicken

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (drumstick and thigh together) or breasts

Brine (optional)

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaves

1 Maggi or Knorr chicken bouillon cube

½ long red hot pepper

½ small white onion

Marinade

2 medium tomatoes, such as Roma or on-the-vine

½ long red hot pepper

½ small white onion

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 limes

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1. If brining and parboiling, fill a pot large enough to hold all of the chicken with extra room with water. Place over high high. Chop the onion and the half a pepper into 2-3 large chunks each. Add to the water. Add in all of the spices. When mixture boils, add in the chicken pieces. When mixture comes back to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove to a dry plate with a slotted spoon or tongs and discard the brine.

2. To make the marinade, add the tomatoes to a blender or small food processor. Blend until liquified. Cut the onion, hot pepper, and garlic into large pieces and add to the blender or processor. Purée until the vegetables are completely broken down. Add the remainder of the marinade ingredients and process until incorporated.

3. Pour the marinade over either the par-boiled or raw chicken and toss to full coat. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight.

4. Heat a grill on high. Remove the chicken from the marinade, saving for basting, and place the chicken on the grill. Close the cover, turn heat to medium, and grill, flipping every 5-7 minutes, basting only before the first flip (then discard the marinade), until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes total for parboiled breasts, about 25 for parboiled legs, and about 35 for raw.

Spiced Haricots Verts

1 tablespoon cooking oil

½ small white onion

½ long red hot pepper

1 lb. fresh haricot verts or string beans

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Add the oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cur the onion into thin slices. Add to the skillet and sauté until translucent. If the onion starts to stick, add a tablespoon or two of water.

2. Mince the hot pepper. Trim the haricots verts or string beans and cut in half on the diagonal. Add the pepper, beans, and ginger to the skillet, along with half a cub of water.

3. Sauté over medium heat until the water evaporates. Season with salt to taste, and serve.

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FUN FACTS:

• Burkina Faso translates as “Land of the Honest (Incorruptible) Men”.

• Thomas Sankara, who led the country from 1983 to 1987, was an avid guitar player and jazz fan and wrote Burkina Fasa's national anthem.

• Burkina Faso is the hottest country in the world, with an average yearly temperature of 82.9°F.