Hot Honey Crispy Chicken

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. In a large bowl, combine the crème fraîche and 1/4 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the bowl of seasoned crème fraîche; turn to coat. Set aside to marinate, turning occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Small dice the celery. Halve, peel, and small dice the onion. Cut off and discard any stem ends from the green beans. Cut off and discard the stems of the sweet peppers; remove the cores, then quarter lengthwise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Cut off and discard the stems of the poblano peppers; halve lengthwise, then remove the ribs and seeds. Small dice.  Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling. In a bowl, whisk together the honey (kneading the packet before opening) and as much of the hot sauce as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. 

In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the diced celery, diced onion, and diced poblano peppers; season with salt, pepper, and half the Cajun spice blend (you will have extra). Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water. Stir to combine. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the green beans and quartered sweet peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Add the chopped garlic and 2 teaspoons of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to  2 minutes, or until softened and the liquid has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and smoky spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Add the marinated chicken (including the liquid) to the flour mixture; turn to thoroughly coat.

In the same pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high. Once the oil is hot enough that a drop of coating sizzles immediately when added, add the coated chicken (letting any excess coating drip off). Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Turn off the heat. Serve the cooked chicken with the dirty rice and cooked vegetables. Drizzle the chicken with the hot honey. Enjoy!

*An instant-read thermometer should register 165°F.