This New Year's day, Jedd made one of the most outstanding appetizers I have ever had. He made Tea-Smoked Chicken, and the guests at the party devoured them. And recently I was gifted with some Gypsy Gold Dust, a Southwestern-style spice mix. When I opened it, that smoked chicken recipe popped into my head. But instead of using tea, I decided to use a really dark coffee. How could that not taste amazing with flavors like cayenne and paprika?

It was incredibly good. But the funniest part is this – the Super Bowl is this weekend and Jedd inadvertently mimicked a football player when he tasted the coffee-smoked chicken. He jumped up and down in our living room and fist-bumped me without being remotely ironic. “These are fantastic! The coffee is amazing with the chicken and the spices!”

It was pretty cool. So, you might consider making these for the big game – because everyone deserves a non-ironic fist bump.

Coffee-Smoked Chicken

¼ cup of a Southwestern spice mix (I used Intensity Academy’s “Gypsy Gold Rush”)

1 tablespoon of dark coffee, ground very coarsely (I used Vermont Coffee Company's “Dark Blend”)

¼ cup of jasmine rice

1 ½ large chicken breasts, trimmed into half inch slices

The night before you want to make the chicken, put the chicken slices into a large resealable plastic bag and pour the spices into the bag. Work the bag with your hands so that all of the pieces have spices on them. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pull the chicken out of the refrigerator a half an hour before you want to start cooking. Then open a window and start a fan, because you're actually going to be smoking meat in your kitchen. Then line the bottom of a large skillet or pot with a double layer of aluminum foil and place the tea and coffee in the bottom. Place a steamer on top, and layer the chicken on top without the pieces touching. Cover and cook for 15-30 minutes or until you are sure the chicken is done. (The pieces are too small to accurately use a meat thermometer. So you will have to gauge the chicken by whether or not it flakes easily when you put a fork in the largest piece.) Serve on lettuce pieces with homemade taco sauce and cheese.

Enjoy.

Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a meal.

(Photos by Launie Kettler)

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(You can find more recipes like this on Twitter by using #SaucySuperBowl or #SundaySupper)