Sweet & Sassy Chukar

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Doesn’t that name intrigue you? It did for me! This is an extra special recipe because I worked on it for my dad! He runs the Hunting Dog Podcast all about, you guessed it, hunting dogs! He’s an avid bird hunter but even more so a dog lover. Ever since I was little, we’ve had lots of dogs at home. From German Shorthairs, to wirehairs, to Braccos, corgis, golden retrievers and now even an English cocker spaniel. He’s bred multiple litters from A through R, each litter has pups that all start with the same letter.

His passion for dogs sped into a life of podcasting, occasional calls to help him with his instagram and a whole new business for him. My mom and dad both are incredible entrepreneurs and it’s their drive and creativity that inspire me to do what I do here! They’ve always been unconditionally supportive and so when I got this chance to partner with my dad in his new opportunity I was thrilled!

He’s sponsored by Walton’s foods so the spices used in this recipe were sent to him (and therefore me) for free. Thoughts and opinions are as always my own. This seasoning is exactly as described, sweet AND sassy! The whole dish turned gives a fair amount of heat as you eat it so you can always tame that down by adding a little drizzle of honey on top.

What do I know about cooking game birds?

They are very lean with little fat therefore you want to ensure you don’t overcook them.

Many would say that skinning a bird is a sin, but skinning is easier than plucking. My dad will talk about this in the video (see below!)

It has a stronger taste than your typical chicken but pairs well with seasonings (and fruits and veggies as you’ll see below!)

Hot or cold?

This recipe was actually delicious both as a warm entree but I thoroughly enjoyed it the next few days as a cold “salad.” I even threw a drizzle of honey on it cold once just to see if it tasted alright and it was great! Walton’s Sweet and Sassy seasoning had a lot of kick to it so the honey mellowed it out a little.

Sweet and Sassy Chukar (Game Bird)

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Course: Main Course

Keyword: chukar, dinner, game bird

Author: Jessi Holden, MS, RDN

Ingredients

• 1 chucker *they're pretty small birds so if you substitute I would do 1-2 lbs of chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 large apples, diced *I used honey crisp
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 bundle radishes, quartered *approximately 5-8 radishes
• 4 large carrots rainbow carrots add more color but are not necessary
• 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
• 3 tbsp Waltons' sweet and sassy seasoning, divided
• 1 cup wheat berries, raw
• 1 cup vegetable, chicken, or garlic broth

Instructions

• Cook wheat berries in water according to package. For more flavor cook with 1/2 a chicken bouillon cube
• Add oil to skillet and turn heat to medium.
• Add all veggies and apple to pan and saute for 4-5 minutes.
• Sprinkle two tablespoons of seasonings across the mixture as it cooks.
• While vegetables and apple saute, coat the meat with a little avocado oil and seasonings. If using chicken breasts, filet in half to make them approximately 1/2-1 inch thick.
• Add the meat to the skillet and brown both sides for 2-3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Cover pan with lid and turn the heat low. Cook another 5-8 minutes depending on the width of the meat. Internal temperature should reach 160 degrees.
• Meat will continue to cook when you turn the heat off after approximately 5-8 minutes so wait to take the temperature until the pan has cooled a bit. Especially if these are thinner pieces of meat, they will not take long to cook.
• Spread meat and vegetable mixture over the wheat berries and enjoy hot or cold the next day!

Notes

Did you make this recipe? Send me a photo or better yet, leave a review or give it a rating! You can always tag me on Instagram @The.Kitchen.Invitation and my dad Ron @TheHuntingDogPodcast.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @The.Kitchen.Invitation or tag #TheKitchenInvitation!

If you’re a bird hunter, dog lover, or interested at all in learning more about my dad I encourage you to head to his website. You might have also seen him on Meat Eater in a few episodes or even driving on the highway in a transit with his logo on the back. Want to watch the video? It’s uploaded to his IGTV on his instagram channel! Enjoy!