Back in the ol’ college days, after a Saturday night of pure shenanigans, my roommates and I would lounge on our “Rent-to-Own” couches and watch marathon episodes of The O.C., and, well, Mean Girls, too.

We nursed our hangovers with spicy chicken sandwiches from Wendy’s and would attempt to sing the catchy intro song before each episode began.

Do you remember that song? “We’ve been on the run, Driving in the sun, Looking out for #1…..Californiaaaaaaaaaaa, here we come!”

I remember having a huge crush on Seth, played by Adam Brody. He was the dorky, funny, comic book loving character. I was always super-jealous of Rachel Bilson (Summer), who played his girlfriend on the show. I loved the scene where he hangs upside down like Superman and they kiss. So major. Oh, I almost forgot! Do you remember Marissa Cooper, played by Mischa Barton? Dude, what happened to her? Has she starred in anything lately?

Since Seth, Summer, and Marissa lived in the O.C., they were a hop, skip, and a jump from Tijuana, Mexico. Or, as they called it, “T.J.” Well, you can imagine when the group ventured down to “T.J.” drama hit the fan. Does anything good ever happen when you’re 17 and partying south of the border? I think not.

So, in honor of the drama and spicy past, I thought it would be fun to create a recipe that my almost thirty something self could eat. Even though my Saturday nights no longer consist of taking purple hooter shots, I still continue the ritual of eating spicy foods on Sundays. Thus, The T.J. was born.

This brat is not for the faint of heart. In fact, I’m issuing a warning: if consumed, possible fire-breathing will occur after consumption. But! If you are willing to tango with this spicy devil, the brat is actually quite tasty. Who doesn’t love jalapenos, avocados, and andouille chicken sausage? I rest my case.

Alright, could someone hit play?

Print Recipe

Chicken Andouille Brats with Avocados and Jalapenos

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 packaged chicken andouille brats (pre-cooked… usually find by the bacon section in the grocery store)
4 whole wheat brat buns
2 large jalapenos, sliced into rounds
2 large avocados, chopped
Yellow Mustard
Pico de Gallo

Directions:

Preheat a inside grill pan to medium high-heat. Cook brats according to package directions. Probably about 8 to 10 minutes. Take off the grill. Place brat inside bun. Top with yellow mustard, pico de gallo, three jalapeno rounds per each brat, and avocado. I highly recommend drinking it with a beer to cool down your mouth!!
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