On one fateful morning during my first year living in Chicago, I stood at the bus stop in the cold, seething because bus after bus was driving past us, too full for additional passengers.  My blood was boiling with frustration inside my freezing body.  Finally, a bus pulled up, and the large crowd at my stop piled in, stuck in standing room only in the aisle.  The bus driver grabbed the microphone and exclaimed, “Welcome to the Happy Bus! Happy Monday!  Your next stop is Schiller.”  This seemed strange… and it continued.  At every stop, he would welcome the passengers and tell everyone “Happy Monday!”  It was amazing to watch the crowd break into perplexed looks, and then smile.

As I stood on the bus, smiling to myself, I turned to the girl next to me and joked about our kooky, cheerful driver.  I had seen her at our bus stop nearly every day for a couple of months – she was one of the extras in my life who constantly appeared in the background, and finally this crazy bus driver gave me the courage to say hello and introduce myself.  We laughed all the way into the Loop where we disembarked at the same stop!  The next morning at the bus stop, we exchanged numbers, and within a couple weeks, we had become fast friends.

At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Ok Mrs. Confetti – what on earth does this have to do with chicken?’  Well, this silly story led to my new bus buddy Lauren inviting me over for dinner, wine and Gossip Girl.  Happy Monday indeed.  That night (also a Monday), she made this chicken which changed my life.  It. Is. The. Best. Chicken. Ever. Period.

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I know.  Chicken is usually good, at best.  Rarely do you have a chicken recipe that makes you want to give up on all other proteins, since chicken tends to be a bit boring, flavorless and dry.  This recipe is none of those things.  This recipe came from Lauren’s Noni – her grandma – and the secret is the spice rub.  While you likely have nearly all of these ingredients in your pantry, it’s the proportions that make it great.  That, and the white pepper.  Don’t sub regular black pepper, as tempting as it is.  Also, cooking chicken with the bones and skin keeps it tender, flavorful and anything but dry.  We’ve made this at our house for an average dinner for two, for a Passover Seder for 15 people and for the little man to munch on, and it’s been a hit every time.

Five Spice Happy Monday Chicken

Recipe adapted from Lauren’s lovely Noni 

3 teaspoons paprika
1.5 teaspoons ginger powder
1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
1.5 teaspoons white pepper
6 teaspoons salt
Up to 20 chicken thighs (I usually plan on two per person)

.  .  .  .  .

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the five spices, and split them into two containers (in case you have leftovers, no one wants to reuse spice rub already touched with chicken fingers….keep the leftovers protected in case you have them).

Rinse and dry the chicken, then coat under the skin and on outside with the spice rub mixture.


This messy task is best done during nap time or at night, when your hands will be far away from your baby.

Place the chicken in a dish (or dishes, if you are making a lot) and add half an inch of water or chicken stock at the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil, and bake for about an hour, basting regularly (this is optional – it turns out great as long as it’s covered), until juices run clear.

Last step:  Eat and wait for your family to tell you how much they loooooove it and you, for making it.

This chicken will make it a “Happy Monday” for everyone (even if you don’t make it on Monday anymore now that you’re on the Meatless Monday habit like me)!