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Chicken and Bacon Hash

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"One night, when my family and I were at our fish camp at Toledo Bend, I prepared too much barbecued chicken, as I often do. The leftovers inspired this hash for breakfast the next morning. You can also make this recipe with store-bought chicken (barbecued or even roasted). I am a huge fan of hearty breakfasts, and this flavorful hash fits the bill�especially when it's topped with eggs (over easy or soft-scrambled with Parmesan) and several dashes of hot sauce. If you're feeling decadent, this dish is also outstanding with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Think of this recipe merely as a guide for ingredients that you happen to have on hand. For instance, I have also made this recipe with other leftover meats such as duck, braised pork, and pot roast."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 medium russet potato, peeled
◦ Salt
◦ 1 tablespoon olive oil
◦ 2 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut into �-inch cubes
◦ 1 small onion, finely chopped
◦ 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
◦ 1 clove garlic, minced
◦ 1 jalape�o pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
◦ 1 � teaspoons chopped fresh sage or thyme
◦ � teaspoon paprika
◦ � teaspoon cayenne pepper
◦ Ground black pepper
◦ 2 � to 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, preferably from leftover BBQ chicken
◦ 2 tablespoons to � cup chicken broth or water
◦ � bunch scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
◦ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or rendered bacon fat
◦ Flour for dusting


Recipe

Cut the potato into a small dice and place in a small saucepan. Cover with 2 inches of water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring the potato to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain the potato and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and saut� until the fat renders and bacon is lightly browned but still soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, garlic, jalape�o, sage, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper, and a sprinkling of salt and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the chicken and broth and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to break up the meat, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the potato and continue to cook, stirring well to break up the pieces (they will help bind the mixture), until the liquid has completely been absorbed, 4 to 6 minutes. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper as desired, and stir in the scallions and allow the mixture to cool (for fastest results, spread the hash on a baking sheet and refrigerate).

Form the hash into 3- to 4-inch patties. Heat the oil or bacon fat in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the hash patties on both sides with flour, then add them and fry until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Serves 3 to 4







❧ Note: The crisp patties will have the best texture if you shred the chicken very finely.