Southern · Authentic-ish Southern
Alabama White Barbecue Chicken
475 kcal a serving, against 1113 for the traditional version. That is 638 kcal off, or 57%, with 45.3g of protein. Serves 4. 1 hour 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Classic Alabama white barbecue chicken is a whole roast chicken, cooked until golden, then chopped into pieces and tossed in a thick sauce: 320g full-fat mayonnaise, 60g cider vinegar, 15g prepared horseradish, 8g black pepper, 8g salt, and 20g lemon juice. Some add a touch of sugar, some don't bother. The chicken's carved and dunked while still hot so the sauce half-melts and seeps in. There's enough mayo here to feed a Sunday league team on the side.
What changed, and what each change costs
Full-fat mayonnaise swapped for half-fat mayonnaise and fat-free Greek yoghurt
Knocking out half the oil in the mayo and replacing it with yoghurt drops most of the calories before you even get to the chicken. The yoghurt also helps the sauce coat the chicken without being too runny.
What it costs you. You lose the unctuous, heavy-thick sauce that sticks to your fingers and everything else. The sauce here is thinner and will probably pool a bit under the chicken, not sit on top. That said, all the sharpness and tang is still there, so it still feels bracing and peppery - just a little less sticky.
Skin-on chicken to skinless chicken breast and thigh
Skin is delicious, but it's pure fat. Using boneless, skinless chicken breast plus a few thighs for flavour means you keep more protein per serving, lose most of the fat, and still get juicy meat if you don't overcook it.
What it costs you. You lose the charred, crispy skin that soaks up the sauce, and the look is not the same. If crisp skin is the main event for you, this won't scratch the itch. But the chicken stays tender, and the sauce does most of the talking anyway.
Portion of sauce reduced
With a fresher, sharper sauce, you can get away with less. The classic recipe gives you a lake of mayo; here, about half as much will do the job and stops the plate from getting swampy.
What it costs you. It does look stingier, and you'll have to resist the urge to drown the chicken. But the tang and heat come through cleanly and you won't be left with a bowl of sauce at the end.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1113 | 475 |
| Protein | 42.3g | 45.3g |
| Fat | 101.5g | 29.6g |
| Saturated fat | 20.7g | 5.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 4g | 3.7g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.8g | 9.5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Southern prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. eggs, milk, mustard.
The method is in the book
The original is glossy, thick and unapologetically rich, with sauce that coats everything it touches. This one isn't - it's runnier and won't wrap itself around the chicken the same way, but all the sharpness and peppery kick are still front and centre. The chicken is juicy if you get the timing right, and you'll get enough sauce on each piece to keep things interesting. No one from Alabama would call this classic, but it lands about 80% of the way there for a weekday supper. If you want to cheat, fry a few chicken skins separately as a crunchy topping and never mention my name.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Southern, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.