Food & Drink
Bananas, Peanuts And Chicken? Breaking Down The Flying Jacob
As you probably guessed: This is not your average, boring chicken dish.
Hailed by Magnus Nilsson for being one of the “few dishes as emblematic and unique to the contemporary food culture of Sweden,” the Flying Jacob is nothing short of a masterpiece in a 13 by 9 casserole dish. Well, a masterpiece for those with acquired tastes.
The recipe supposedly was invented in 1976 when Ove Jacobsson had the classic “Oh, $h!t” moment when you forgot to prepare a dish for a neighborhood cookout. Doing what any time-strapped person would do, he threw a bunch of things in a dish, threw it in the oven and branded the dish, Flying Jacob. According to Atlas Obscura, Jacobsson’s neighbor also happened to be a food editor.
Combining chicken, bananas, whipping cream, bacon and peanuts, this dish is an interesting mashup of flavors. Try whipping this up in your kitchen using the recipe below from The Takeout.
Flying Jacob
Serves four
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- One big pinch of Italian seasoning
- 4 bananas
- 1 c. Heinz Chili Sauce
- 3 c. heavy whipping cream
- ¼ lb. bacon
- ½ c. cocktail peanuts
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Pull the meat from the rotisserie chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Add to a casserole dish and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Cut the bananas in quarters lengthwise and layer on top of the chicken. In a bowl, lightly whip the cream and chili sauce together. Pour over the chicken and bananas and bake for 20 minutes. Chop the bacon into small pieces and fry in a separate pan until crispy. After the casserole is baked, top with the bacon bits and peanuts. Serve over rice and with a side salad.
