My absolute favorite place to visit is Haiti. Not only do I love visiting my family, but I love having authentic Haitian food. If you haven’t tried Haitian food yet, it’s a must! It has so much flavor and you can literally taste the love that is put into making it. The base of most Haitian food comes from a seasoning blend called epis. Epis is a mixture of vegetables, herbs, and olive oil that is blended into a consistency similar to pesto that is used in almost all Haitian dishes. Depending on the region of Haiti, the recipe may vary. The epis recipe that I’m going to share with you today comes from my Tati (aunt) Nirva who always has the most flavorful chicken and told me that this is what she uses. I may or may not have changed up the recipe a little based off my flavor preferences, but don’t tell her!

There are two things that I love about cooking. One is being flexible and changing up the recipe. I believe that the only way to have fun with cooking is to cook from the heart and taste as you go, instead of rigidly following a recipe. I encourage you to change the recipe however you see fit! Maybe you want to use this on fish instead of chicken. I bet this would be delicious on shrimp! Or maybe you like things spicier and with a little more garlic! I always look at recipes as a guide. You are not going to hurt my feelings by changing up this recipe. I already changed it up myself! I do encourage you to try authentic Haitian food from wherever you can and open yourself up to new cultures and experiences.

If you look at this recipe and feel overwhelmed, have no fear. Just use what you have on hand. Identify the key ingredient which would be epis in this particular recipe and hang onto that. But if you don’t have all other ingredients on hand, don’t let that be a barrier. No tomatoes, no problem. Just leave them off. Or try substituting what you have on hand. When cooking becomes stressful, it doesn’t happen! So be anxious about nothing...including cooking!

The second thing I love about cooking is the mindset that it puts me in. I often put on the Pandora worship music and worship and thank God for everything that He has given me while I’m cooking. When you are able to be more flexible in your preparation, it gives you that opportunity to be in a prayerlike state and let His peace calm you in every step of the process. When I feel His presence over me, I feel more open to the actual act of cooking and to the conversations that I am about to have with the people that God has brought into my life. Don’t be afraid to try this recipe even if cooking is overwhelming for you. Turn up the music and ask God to be with you during the process. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”- Philippians 4:6-7

 I truly hope you enjoy my take on Haitian Epis Chicken that I paired with grits (Mayi Moulin Ak Epis Poul).

 Haitian-Inspired Epis Chicken

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