Better Than Takeout Sweet and Sour Chicken

The other night I was craving Chinese but I was not craving the icky, bloated feeling I tend to get after eating Chinese takeout.  I don't know if it's because I can't decide on one dish and order a few then eat too much, or what but I never feel good about my decision to order takeout.

I scanned the internet looking for a new Chinese recipe.  I have great recipes for Ginger Beef Stir Fry and General Tso's Chicken but I was looking for something new.  I came across quite a few recipes that I wanted to try but the decision was made based on what I had in my refrigerator!  I really wanted to make orange chicken but I was out of oranges.  I have to be sure to stock up on some so I can try that recipe soon!  I decided on the sweet and sour chicken because I had all of the ingredients on hand (actually, all are staples in my pantry/fridge!) and it looked like it would hit the spot.

I did make a few changes to the original recipe.  Instead of whole eggs, I used just egg whites and I used one pound of chicken tenders instead of breasts.  I also added some broccoli which eliminated the need to cook a vegetable!  Winning!

The flavor of this chicken is nice - Not overly sweet or sour.  The coating from the cornstarch held up nicely while the chicken cooked with the sauce.  I served this over Jasmine rice which I mixed with some diced fresh pineapple.  This is a great alternative to takeout Chinese food and I think this would be a great option for a dinner party!

Recipe is adapted from How Sweet It Is via Kitchen Cafe.
Serves: 3-4

Chicken
1 pound chicken tenders
2 egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
salt & pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
nonstick spray
2-3 small broccoli crowns, cut into pieces

Sauce*
3/4 cup sugar
4 T ketchup
1/2 apple cider vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1T garlic

Preheat oven to 325 and spray a 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Prepare sauce by combining sugar through garlic.  Set aside.

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour oil in a skillet large enough to fit the chicken and preheat.  If the skillet isn't large enough, you'll have to cook in batches as you don't want to overcrowd the pan.  The skillet is ready when the oil ripples.  You can also test the oil by putting a little bit of cornstarch in the oil.  If it bubbles right away, the oil is ready.

Set up two shallow dishes - One for the egg whites and the other for the cornstarch.  Beat the egg whites until combined.  In batches, add the chicken to the egg then to the cornstarch to coat.  Once the chicken is coated, add to the skillet and brown.  Once the chicken is brown on one side, flip over and cook another couple of minutes, just until the chicken is almost done.  Place chicken in the baking dish and cover with sauce.  Cook for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Add the broccoli in for the last 20-30 minutes, depending on how much you like your broccoli cooked.

Serve over rice and enjoy.

*I felt this made the perfect amount of sauce, however you can make extra if needed - Add all the sauce ingredients to a saucepan and simmer until thick.

Some Damn Good Chicken

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

I apologize for the directness of this title's post, but that's all I could think of when I tasted this chicken!  There's something about grilled BBQ chicken that just screams summer and deliciousness (is that a real word?!).  It also makes me think of the 4th of July, which makes this posting quite appropriate!

This was my first attempt at grilling a whole, butterflied chicken and I will definitely be grilling chicken using this method more often.  It's fairly simple to butterfly a chicken (see video) and even easier if your butcher will do it for you!
I urge you to try this method - I am positive you'll love it and want to grill chicken this way all the time.

2 1/2 - 3 pound whole chicken, butterflied
Salt and pepper
BBQ sauce - I used my top secret Maker's Mark recipe!

Preheat grill to about 500℉.  While grill is heating, salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.  Once the grill is heated, place the chicken skin side down, close the lid and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Turn the heat down on the grill to around 400℉.  Turn the chicken over and cook for about 20 minutes with the lid closed.  Baste the chicken with BBQ sauce and turn over to baste the other side.  Cook for another 10 - 15 minutes and flip one last time.  Baste the chicken with some more sauce and cook for another 5 minutes.*  Remove the chicken from the grill and loosely cover with foil for about 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute.

*Cooking times may vary.  The times listed are based on the temperature of my grill and the size of the chicken.  Chicken should be cooked to about 160 - 165℉.  Remove chicken from the grill when your thermometer reads 150 - 155℉ as the chicken will continue to cook as it sits.  If you don't have a thermometer, slice a thigh and breast.  If the juices run clear, the chicken is done.

Enjoy!

Apple Chicken Sausages with Sauteed Apples and Onions

This is a really simple and delicious meal.  It's a fairly versatile dish and can be served for dinner or even brunch.  This would be great with a french toast casserole.  :)  I served this alongside brown rice and broccoli, but I'm sure this would be great with some stuffing or a baked sweet potato.

My favorite part about this meal is the sauteed apples and onions.  They have a slight sweetness from the agave syrup and a warm, homey (not as in the clown, as in feeling like home!) flavor from the poultry seasoning.

Apple Chicken Sausages with Sauteed Apples and Onions
Serves: 2

One package of apple chicken sausage (I used Nature's Promise)
Nonstick spray
One large onion, thinly sliced
One medium apple, thinly sliced and skin on (I used a delicious since that's what I had on hand but any type will work)
1 T agave syrup
1 1/2 t poultry seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat two skillets - One for the sausages and one for the onions and apples (this one should be large enough for the onion mixture and sausages).  Spray both skillets with nonstick spray.  Preheat oven to 350℉.  Once the skillets are warm, add the sausages to one skillet and the onions to the other.  Turn the sausages to brown on all sides.  You don't need to worry about cooking them all the way through as they will finish cooking in the oven.

Cook the onions until almost tender and add the apples.  Cook a few minutes more until the apples are almost done, but not too soft.  Add agave syrup, poultry seasoning and, if using, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add the sausages to the onion mixture and place in the oven until the sausages are thoroughly cooked, about 10-12 minutes (when sliced, the juices should run clear).

Enjoy!

Cate's Lemon Dijon Chicken

I resolved to post healthier recipes this year instead of the high fat and sugar (but oh so delicious!) recipes I've been posting.  So, here's another - Cate's Lemon Dijon Chicken.  I can't take full credit for the recipe.  I just pulled together parts from some of my favorite recipes and rolled them into one.

This dish comes together quickly which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal.  It's tangy and light, which is just yummy to me!  It would be great served over egg noodles or polenta.  I served mine with a medley of roasted veggies - Carrots, parsnips, potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

Here's the recipe:

1t oil (I used canola but any light-tasting oil will work)

4 - 4 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Juice of one lemon (about 2 T.  I like my chicken a bit lemony.  If you like less, start with 1/2 a lemon and increase the juice to taste)

1T Dijon mustard

1 t garlic, diced (fresh if you have it.  I only had it in a jar)

1t fresh, chopped thyme (dry will work too, but use about 1/2 t)

1t unsalted butter

Salt & pepper, to taste

Prep:  Sometimes chicken breasts are not even and need to be pounded out to even thickness.  If necessary, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer, rolling pin or a small frying pan until the chicken is even in thickness.

Preheat a nonstick skillet with oil on medium-high heat. While the pan is heating up, salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.  Once the skillet is hot enough add the chicken.  Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Turn the chicken and cook another 4 - 5 minutes until browned and just undercooked (the chicken will finish cooking later when you return it to the pan after the sauce is made).  Remove chicken, put on a plate and cover loosely in foil.

Turn the heat up high and add the chicken broth to the pan.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits left from the chicken.  After the broth simmers for about a minute, add the lemon juice.  Keeping the flame on high, simmer the juice and broth until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.  Whisk in the Dijon and simmer for one minute. Turn down the heat to medium and add in the garlic, thyme and butter.  Once the butter is melted add in the chicken and the juices that gathered on the plate.  Finish cooking for about five minutes or until the chicken is done.

Nutrition info (1 chicken breast and 2 T of sauce): 246 calories, 11g fat, 1.6g carbs, 34g protein