I don't make this stuff up. From A Picture Treasury of Good Cooking, 1953.
The enchanting cover.
Don't shy away from the MSG, it's a natural substance, won't hurt ya. Now the method (instructions) here aren't as detailed as they should be, so you're on your own, using your best kitchen wisdom. For starters, step one, I'd simmer the chicken 30 minutes, not an hour (btw, boiling would get it done in 10 minutes.) Make sure you dry that chicken well before you fry it (I would use canola oil, not fat or drippings) otherwise you'll be in the line of fire from some major splattering. I would also briefly marinate the garnish fruit (banana, avocado, grapes) in the reserved broth (re-heated) before serving. By "gravy" I assume they mean the reserved broth.
MEXICAN CHICKEN WITH FRUITS
1 4-pound chicken, cut up
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fat or drippings
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice, canned or frozen
2 cups pineapple chunks, canned or frozen
2 fully ripe bananas, sliced lengthwise
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1/2 pound white grapes
Put chicken in a deep kettle; add next 7 ingredients. Cover; simmer 1 hour. Remove chicken from broth. Reserve broth. Heat fat in a skillet. Brown chicken on all sides; arrange in baking pan. Add pineapple juice to broth; heat and pour over chicken. Arrange pineapple chunks over chicken. Bake in moderately hot oven, 375°F., 30 minutes.
Lift chicken and fruit into a serving dish; garnish with the fruit. Serve gravy separately. Makes 6 servings.
CHICKEN ESPAGNOLE: Put a cut-up fowl in kettle. Heat 1/4 cup fat: blend in 1/2 cup flour. Add 3/4 cup ketchup, 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, dash Tabasco, juice of 1 lemon. Bring to a boil; pour over fowl. Cover; simmer 3 hours. Makes 6 servings.
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