Chopped Challenge: At Home Season 1 Episode 2 Amanda Freitag At Home

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep people at home, the hit food competition series "Chopped" has adapted to the times with a new spinoff called "Chopped Challenge: At Home." In this series, celebrity chefs and past "Chopped" winners are given a surprise basket of ingredients and tasked with creating a delicious and creative meal using only what they have on hand in their own kitchens.

In the second episode of the first season, Chef Amanda Freitag, a frequent judge on "Chopped" and the host of Food Network's "American Diner Revival," steps up to the challenge in her own home kitchen. The surprise ingredients in her basket are revealed to be a whole chicken, a can of chickpeas, an avocado, and a bottle of hot sauce.

Amanda starts by prepping the chicken, which she decides to roast with a spice rub made from paprika, cumin, garlic, and other seasonings. She also decides to make a sauce using the hot sauce and the avocado, which she blends together with some lime juice and olive oil. She sets aside the sauce and turns her attention to the chickpeas, which she drains and rinses before tossing in a mixture of spices and then roasting in the oven.

With the chicken roasting and the chickpeas crisping up, Amanda decides to use some of the other ingredients in her pantry to make a salad to accompany the meal. She gathers up some greens, cherry tomatoes, and a cucumber, and then whips up a quick vinaigrette using olive oil, vinegar, and some Dijon mustard.

Despite the time pressure and the limited ingredients, Amanda manages to pull together a delicious and well-balanced meal. The chicken is perfectly cooked and nicely spiced, and the sauce adds a tangy, creamy element to the dish. The roasted chickpeas provide a nice crunchy contrast, and the salad brings a burst of freshness to the plate.

Throughout the episode, Amanda shares tips and tricks for cooking at home, including how to make your own spice blends and how to repurpose leftovers into new meals. She also talks about some of the challenges of adapting to cooking at home during the pandemic, such as having to be more resourceful and creative with the ingredients you have on hand.

As with all episodes of "Chopped Challenge: At Home," this installment showcases the ingenuity and improvisation needed to cook a great meal with limited ingredients. It also highlights the skill and creativity of some of the best chefs in the business, who are able to rise to the challenge even when faced with unconventional ingredients and unexpected obstacles.