For nights where I don’t feel like standing and cooking on the stovetop, I often bake chicken legs or thighs. My typical recipe is putting the chicken on a rack and seasoning them with salt, pepper and paprika then roasting them. Then the recipe got played out, especially since I’ve been busy with work and the family (and because I’ve been too lazy to cook other creative things). I decided to try the sampler jars of Sensational Sauces sent to me by their creator, Chef Duane Ward. I tried the Mango Chili Honey BBQ (made with mango, fresh ancho chili, hand harvested varietal honey, and warm blend of spices) and Asian Sesame sauces. Both were delicious, flavorful, and great on chicken. They can also be used on beef, pork and seafood. The Mango Chili sauce was my favorite – a perfect harmony of sweet and spicy. The Asian Sesame sauce was also good, and best of all, was not salty unlike other Asian sauces I’ve got in my pantry.
Baked Chicken Legs with Sensational Sauces Mango Chili Honey BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 chicken leg quarters (about 3 pounds)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Brush chicken legs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake chicken legs for 30 minutes.
- Brush on Sensational Sauces Mango Chili Honey BBQ Sauce. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Turn over chicken and brush the other side with the sauce.
- Cook for another 10 minutes until the juices run clear when chicken legs are pierced with a fork.
As an alternative, you can use other flavors of Sensational Sauces with the same process listed above.
About Sensational Sauces
Sensational Sauces was founded in June 2012 to fill the gap of adventurous taste offerings with a safety net of higher quality traditional items. With a passion for food and creativity instilled by his parents, mixed with a new love for the sauce world and how something so small could make such a difference in the total meal experience, Brooklyn resident Chef Duane Ward decided to do something about it. From that desire, Sensational Sauces was born and has been available online since August 2013. To date, there are seven flavors in the signature line, Toasted Vanilla Cognac BBQ Sauce, Mango Chili Honey BBQ Sauce, Sweet and Tangy, Hickory Smoked Honey BBQ Sauce, Asian Sesame, Apple Dijon Honey Mustard and Island Fire Sauce, with plans for a paleo-style dietary line.
Despite being a “one-man operation” Sensational Sauces has been receiving rave reviews. The company received runner-up, audience choice and most supporter recognitions at the NYC Battle of the Boroughs Pitch Competition 2014. It has been featured in Brand New USA as well as numerous food shows within the New York and Michigan areas, including the Resorts World Casino’s Mid Winter Taste and All The Taste of NYC. Sensational Sauces is also a contender for the Gettin Sauced BBQ Competition in Austin, TX happening this month.
The premise of the company is to provide a clean product that is chemical-, stabilizer- and preservative-free, using sensationally fresh local ingredients, bold tastes and uniquely different flavor offerings. The bigger picture beyond the sauces is this, however. One of the goals of the company is to train future restaurateurs, chefs and entrepreneurs within the food industry. This will ensure they have the confidence and guidance to create their own business, which will replenish and enable local sustainability. The goal is to create a business pocket. This pocket will use ingredients from that region, guaranteeing freshness of products as well as supporting that region’s agriculture and economic growth.
Chef Duane plans to donate a percentage each year’s profits to community development and repair efforts with non-profits such as New York Cares. The ultimate goal of Sensational Sauces is to provide the communities it’s sold within, a product they can be proud of supporting, because it supports them.
You can purchase the signature sauce line at the 61st Street Deli in Woodside, Queens, NY or online at shopsensationalsauces.bigcartel.com.
Be sure to check out what else Chef Duane is up to on Facebook or Twitter.
Disclosure: I received two 2 oz jars of Sensational Sauces. The opinions expressed are my own and I received no further compensation from Sensational Sauces or their representatives.
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