Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Chinese Orange Chicken

CHINESE ORANGE CHICKEN
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Yield4 servings
Not even Panda Express can beat this homemade orange chicken!
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 cup 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • FOR THE MARINADE
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Watch BBQ Expert Rod Grey Talk BBQ.
 
INSTRUCTIONS
  • To make the marinade, whisk together chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, Sriracha, ginger and white pepper in a large bowl.
  • In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and 2/3 cup of the marinade; marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade.
  • Heat remaining marinade in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir in 2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened about 1-2 minutes; keep warm.
  • Working one at a time, dip the chicken into the eggs, then dredge in remaining 1 cup cornstarch, pressing to coat.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Working in batches, add chicken and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; discard excess oil.
  • Serve chicken immediately, tossed or drizzled with the marinade, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion, if desired.
NOTES
Adapted from Cooking Classy

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tot Bombs

BACON WRAPPED TATER TOT BOMBS
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Yield4 servings
The most amazing tater tots ever, baked to crisp bacon-perfection. It's so good, you'll want to double or triple the recipe!
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups frozen tater tots, at room temperature
  • 1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch squares
  • 4 slices bacon, quartered
  • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Learn More From a BBQ Expert.
 
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
  • Working one at a time, wrap each tater tot and cheese square in a piece of bacon. Repeat with remaining tater tots, cheese squares and bacon pieces. Dredge each tater tot in the brown sugar, pressing to coat.
  • Place tater tots seam side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn at halftime.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
NOTES
Adapted from Made From Pinterest

Parmesan Tortellini Bites

Parmesan Tortellini Bites
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Parmesan Tortellini Bites
Crisp, crunchy, parmesan-loaded tortellini bites - so good, you won't be able to stop eating these!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup Panko*
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated three cheese tortellini
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • In a large bowl, combine Panko and Parmesan; set aside.
  • Working in batches, dredge tortellini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
  • Add tortellini to the skillet, 8 or 10 at a time, and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Serve immediately with marinara sauce, garnished with additional Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
*Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store.
2.6
http://damndelicious.net/2014/09/29/parmesan-tortellini-bites/
The post Parmesan Tortellini Bites appeared first on Damn Delicious.

Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings

Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours, 10 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings
The easiest wings you will ever make. Just throw everything into the crockpot and you're set for the most tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken wings!
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds chicken wings
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • For the sauce
  • 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
  • In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, honey, garlic, Sriracha, ginger powder, pepper and onion powder.
  • Place wings into a slow cooker. Stir in soy sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Stir in mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro, if desired.
Notes
Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff
2.6
http://damndelicious.net/2014/10/01/slow-cooker-sticky-chicken-wings/
The post Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Wings appeared first on Damn Delicious.

Easy Lo Mein

Easy Lo Mein
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Easy Lo Mein
The easiest lo mein you will ever make in 15 min from start to finish. And it's so much quicker, tastier and healthier than take-out!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound lo mein egg noodles*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 1/2 cup snow peas
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • For the sauce
  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, or more, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
Instructions
  • In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and Sriracha; set aside.
  • In a large pot of boiling water, cook lo mein egg noodles according to package instructions; drain well.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in snow peas and spinach until the spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in egg noodles and soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine.
  • Serve immediately.
Notes
*If lo mein egg noodles cannot be found, spaghetti can be substituted. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 4 to 6
1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece whole ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 to 2 tablespoons garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups cooked rice, to serve
Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of garam masala, paprika, and kosher salt until the chicken is evenly covered with spices. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices.
→ If you have the time: Marinate the chicken in 1/2 cup yogurt for up to 6 hours. Shake to remove excess yogurt before transferring to the slow cooker.
→ If you have the time: Sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until softened, then stir in the ginger, tomato paste, and spices until fragrant. This will give your tikka masala more depth of flavor.
Cover the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the heavy cream. If you prefer a thicker sauce, leave the slow cooker uncovered for the last 15 minutes. Taste and add more garam masala or salt to taste.
Serve over rice with fresh cilantro sprinkled over the top of each serving. The tikka masala can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

  • Chicken breasts can be substituted for the thighs, though I find thighs hold up better over the long cooking and breasts tend to fall into shreds. Still delicious, though!
  • For a little of that smoky, tandoori flavor, try using smoked paprika and roasted tomatoes.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken

Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Difficulty:
Easy
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  •  Vegetable Or Peanut Oil For Frying
  •  Chicken
  • 4 whole Egg Whites
  • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, Cut Into Bite Sized Pieces
  •  Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup Orange Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Packed Brown Sugar (OR White Sugar OR Honey)
  • 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar (or Regular Distilled Vinegar)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sesame Oil
  •  Dash Of Salt
  •  Dash Of Crushed Red Pepper, More To Taste
  • 1 clove Garlic, Pressed Or Minced
  • 2 teaspoons Minced Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch (additional)
  •  Zest Of 1 Orange (optional)
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 whole Green Onions, Sliced

    Preparation Instructions

    For the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and egg whites with a fork until almost frothy, about 1 minute. Add the chicken to the mixture and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
    For the sauce: Meanwhile, put the orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, crushed red pepper, garlic and ginger (and orange zest, if using) in a small nonstick skillet and whisk together. Heat until bubbling and starting to thicken, about 3-4 minutes.
    Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Mix in and thicken for 1 minute. (If sauce gets overly thick, just add in another 1/4 cup water and whisk in.)
    Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. In batches, carefully drop a few pieces of chicken into the oil (drop them in one by one to keep them from sticking together) and move it around, 2-3 minutes or until light golden. Let the pieces drain on a plate lined with paper towels for 2 to 3 minutes. Then drop them back into the oil for 1 minute to really solidify the coating.
    Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve immediately with orange zest and sliced green onions on the top.
    Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on September 8 2014