Chicken with Tabasco and Indian Spices is a recipe that captures the whimsy of the Just One Pot  cookbook.  The version in the original is called Chicken with Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Olives but the clickbait marketer in my soul just didn’t think that captured the scattershot spirit of the ingredient list.   The key seasonings are Tabasco sauce (a lot of it), Indian garam masala, and Asian chili oil, tossed with vegetables that seem better suited for a pizza.  If we just threw in some Fudge Stripe Cookies we’d have an episode of Chopped.  Now I realize that spicy peppers and Indian food go hand in hand, but Tabasco sauce has a distinct, fermented, vinegary character; it’s not exactly a one for one substitution for a kashmiri chili.

But turns out this isn’t a copyright trap or some kind of prank by the authors – this recipe is great.  It’s an unexpected pairing, like the time I had tikka masala served over French fries, but it works better than it ought to.  I’ve made a few adjustments to balance the flavors, with a smidge more garam masala and some salt and pepper for good measure.  I also recommend sticking with a Louisiana style hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Crystal brand.  Not all hot sauces are created equal, and as much as I love a good habanero sauce it’s just not going to be the same here.

And resist the temptation to add more liquid, even though it seems like there’s not near enough.  This is a long cook and the mushrooms and onions will give up plenty of liquid during the cooking process.  I prefer to serve Chicken with Tabasco and Indian Spices over basmati rice, with lightly vinegared cucumber salad, but it would also work fine with couscous or even egg noodles.  The recipe’s original authors certainly felt unconstrained by convention or cuisine.  Why should you?  Enjoy!