Repurposing Five Guy's Cajun Seasoning: Cajun Chicken
I'm dead tired from playing paintball today (Groupon deal for the win!) but I figured I'd squeeze out one more post before I go to bed, just to stay semi-regular with posts. I'm a few days away from Michigan, so this will probably be my last post for awhile as I get settled in. This week I decided to use up some extra Cajun seasoning left over from a recent Five Guy's burger run. [Tip: Get fries, and ask for Cajun seasoning on the side. Best thing ever.] I surmised that it might be good on chicken, so I decided to try it out.Most Cajun chicken recipes online are pretty simple. Herbs, oil, chicken. So that's what I did. I got a couple chicken tenderloins, halved or third-ed them. Put them in a dish, in which I also put enough oil to cover the bottom with a little less than a quarter inch. I added about a tablespoon of Five Guy's Cajun seasoning, a teaspoon or so of Italian seasoning, some garlic powder, and salt to taste. There was no measuring this. Just Emril-style. Bam.Toss everything together, and let sit for at least half an hour. Oh, and stab everything liberally with a fork. When it's well rested and marinated, toss it on a hot pan or grill and cook it until you're happy. I suggest trying one piece first as a taste test, you can still season at the last minute. When all is said and done, this will be your reward:In terms of taste, I would give this an 8/10. The chili/cayenne aroma of Five Guy's is adequately infused into the chicken without really being too spicy (though my weak-stomached dad thought it was), but it's missing this indescribable "mouth-feel" to it. Maybe it needs an infusion of sugar and MSG (only partially kidding). If I had grilled it at the perfect temperature, it might have ended up a little juicier, making all the difference. If you try this, let me know how it comes out.