Bourbon Chicken

The recipe says it's Bourbon Chicken, but it does not have any bourbon in it (much to my disappointment) nor does it taste like the bourbon chicken I have grown accustomed to at Maki of Japan.  I quite enjoyed this version though, and added some cornstarch at the end to make a thicker sauce.

 Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water

 Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned, remove to a dish.
2. Add garlic, ginger, red pepper, apple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water, and soy sauce. Heat over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved.
3. Add chicken and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 18 minutes.
4. Mix cornstarch with 1/3 cup water, once well mixed add to skillet.  Simmer additional 2 minutes.
5. Serve over rice

 I served with: Jasmine Brown Rice, Steamed carrots

 Jess' Grade: A+

Even the child didn't complain about how much to eat, and she asked to take the leftovers to school the next day!  Easier than it looks, and the red pepper can be omitted to keep the heat down for sensitive mouths.  I would love to hear from you!  Please send any comments, questions, or recipe suggestions to bigred79@gmail.com and you will receive full credit for any suggestions!

Bon appetit!

Coconut Chicken Strips

This week we're exploring a tropical side of things...  Who says you can't have summer in the winter?  Bask in the warm glow of the kitchen light and dream of the sand when you're eating these baked chicken strips with my pineapple-ginger dipping sauce.  Aloha!

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 7oz bag of sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1.5 lbs chicken tenders (or slice breasts into strips)
1/2 cup butter, melted (or substitute 1/4 cup olive oil for 1/4 cup butter)
9 oz pineapple preserves
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons grated ginger (please don't attack redheads for this)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicon baking mat.
2. Mix in a bowl the coconut, flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg.  Dip the chicken strips in the egg and then into the coconut mixture, pressing the coconut into the chicken lightly.  Place them on the covered baking sheet.
3. Once all of the strips are coated and on the sheet, evenly drizzle the butter over the chicken.  Bake for 30-40 minutes (keep an eye on that coconut, don't want it to burn) turning over after 15 minutes.
4. While the chicken bakes, add preserves, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and ginger to a small pot. Heat over medium low until it is thin and mixes well.  I let is simmer for about 10 minutes stirring very often, and serve hot in small dipping dishes.

I served with:
Salad

Jess' Grade: A

This has become a staple in the house, because it's easy to cook and it reheats quite well the next day for work lunches.  The sauce is sweet, so be prepared for that.  It will make  your eyes roll back in your head though, it's that good!  Let me know what you think or give me some recipe ideas!  I can be reached at bigred79@gmail.com, I would love to hear from you.