Orange Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of cubed chicken tenderloin

canola oil

1 gallon sized freezer ziplock baggie

toasted sesame seeds

FOR THE MARINADE:

1 egg white

2 Tablespoons of double black soy sauce (may sub for soy sauce)

2 Tablespoons of Shaoxing wine (may sub for dry sherry)

1 Tablespoon of Mirin (preferably Kikkoman brand)

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

3 Tablespoons of cornstarch

FOR THE DRY COATING:

1/2 cup of flour

1/2 cup (extra crispy) tempura mix

1/2 cup of cornstarch

1 teaspoon of baking powder (preferably the Rumford brand)

1 tsp of kosher salt

FOR THE ORANGE SAUCE:

1 jar (17.25 ounces) of NATURAL orange marmalade fruit spread (no high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup in the ingredients!)

1 (8 ounce) jar of plum sauce (may sub for oyster sauce)

1/2 cup of (no pulp, not from concentrate) orange juice OR hot water

2-4 Tablespoons of vinegar

1/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

freshly grated ginger (to taste)

MAKE THE ORANGE SAUCE:

1. Combine the orange marmalade, plum sauce, and orange juice (or water) into a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Stop the motor and add in 1/4 tsp of salt, freshly grated ginger, and 2 Tablespoons (or more) of vinegar into the food processor. Taste check for seasoning. Pour orange sauce into a bowl and set aside.

MAKE THE MARINADE:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg white with a fork until frothy. Add in the soy sauce, shaoxing wine, and mirin. Whisk well.
2. Pour half of the marinade into a small bowl to reserve for later use.
3. Into the medium sized bowl, add in the baking soda and cornstarch. Whisk until combined and then pour the mixture over the cubed chicken tenderloin. Mix well and set aside.

MAKE THE DRY COATING:

1. Into a GALLON sized freezer bag, add in all of the ingredients for your dry coating. Mix well and then pour in the reserved chicken marinade sauce. Use a fork to gently mix everything together and then dump in your marinaded chicken pieces. Close up the ziplock baggie and then shake, shake, shake! Try to evenly coat it as best you can.
2. Into a cast iron skillet on medium high heat, add in some canola oil. Check the temp of the oil by using the end of a chopstick: dip it into the hot oil, and if bubbles form around it, it’s hot enough to fry! :) Add in your coated chicken pieces and fry for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Make sure to not overcrowd your skillet. Cook in batches if you have to. Remove cooked chicken and place on paper towels to soak up excess oil.
3. Place cooked chicken into a mixing bowl and pour in some orange sauce. More or less depending on your preference. Sprinkle in some toasted sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

NOTES:
-Recipe for my orange sauce makes a lot, so, feel free to cut the recipe in half.
- Any unused orange sauce can be refrigerated for later use!
- Want it spicy? Feel free to add in some chili flakes or ground chili paste into the finished orange sauce, mixing it in by hand.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

I wasn't really sure on this recipe being properly named "crockpot chicken fajita" because I was under the impression that most fajita recipes involved meat/chicken grilled or cooked on a skillet, but since I did make a homemade fajita seasoning, I decided to roll with the punches.

My husband does not care for cooked bell peppers so I usually leave those out in this recipe, but you are more than welcome to throw slices of bell pepper in with the onions if you wish!


INGREDIENTS:

4 chicken breasts

1 16 ounce jar of tomatillo sauce

2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

1 medium sized onion thickly sliced

FAJITA SEASONING:

1 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp of ancho chili powder

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of paprika

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp of garlic powder

1/2 tsp of onion powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add your jar of tomatillo sauce into a medium sized bowl and add in your brown sugar. Mix well and set aside.

2. Make your fajita seasoning: into a small bowl, add in your chili powder, ancho chili powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Mix well and set aside.

3. Into your crockpot, add in about 1/3 of the tomatillo sauce--just enough to make one even layer. Top with the chicken breasts.

4. Take your fajita seasoning and pour evenly over your chicken breasts.

5. Pour the remainder of your tomatillo sauce over your chicken, top with thick slices of onion (and/or bell peppers), cover with lid and cook on high for 3 hours or low for about 5-6 hours.

6. Once chicken is cooked to your liking, remove chicken from crockpot and shred it.

7. Add chicken back into the crockpot, mixing well with the sauce and veggies. Serve immediately or may freeze for later.

NOTES:

I usually make this crockpot chicken WITHOUT adding the onions and veggies because it makes them taste too soggy. I recommend cooking the onions and veggies, separately, in a skillet. :)

Avocado Pesto

If you follow me on Instagram, then you probably already know that I've been shifting gears into more healthier eating. I started kickboxing 7 weeks ago (and I do it 5 times a week!), and since then, have decided to eat healthy 6 days a week, leaving me with only 1 day out of the week where I can indulge. This recipe is one of the first in my series of "healthy eats." I wanted to combine avocados with a classic pesto sauce because we all know avocados contain good fat that our body needs. This recipe has been "husband approved" and I hope that you guys love it, too!

INGREDIENTS:

1 4 ounce container of Basil

half a bunch of cilantro

juice from 2 lemons

2 small ripe avocados (or 1 large Hass avocado)

4 small cloves of finely chopped garlic

2 big pinches of salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard (or to taste)

1/4 cup of pine nuts (optional)

black pepper to taste

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

YOU'LL ALSO NEED:

noodles of your choice, cooked according to the packaging

grilled chicken strips

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all of the above ingredients into a food processor or blender EXCEPT for the olive oil. Pulse the ingredients until just combined and then slowly drizzle in your olive oil until desired consistency. Taste check. Store any unused pesto in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for later use.

Chicken Tenders

This recipe for homemade chicken tenders is currently, on heavy rotation in this house. I just had to tell my kids that, "mommy is chicken tendered-out!" LOL. So, no, no more chicken tenders for us for a while, but, yes, make some for your kids! Beats getting chicken mcnuggets from Mcdonald's, right?! :)

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of chicken tenders

2 cups of buttermilk OR 2 cups of milk plus 2 Tablespoons of vinegar (allow milk and vinegar mixture to sour before using, about 7 minutes)

FOR THE FLOUR MIXTURE:(double this mixture if you plan on frying up all 2 pounds of chicken tenders that day)

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

1 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

*you will also need to reserve about 3 Tablespoons of your buttermilk to mix into your flour mixture)

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
2 eggs (add an extra egg if frying up all of the chicken tenders)

vegetable oil or canola oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Into a 13x9 inch baking dish, add in your buttermilk. Add in all of your chicken tenders. Cover baking dish, and place it into the fridge for at least 3 hours OR for up to 48 hours.

2. Into a shallow dish, make your flour mixture. Drizzle in some of your chicken-flavored buttermilk, just until mixture is slightly crumbly. Don't add too much, because as you start to toss your chicken into the flour mixture, the flour will begin to clump up on its own.

3. Into another shallow dish, crack your eggs and lightly beat it with a fork.

4. Take your chicken tenders, dip them into the eggs, and then the flour. Tap off excess. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

5. In a cast iron skillet, heat up some vegetable oil to 350 degrees.

6. Fry up your chicken tenders for about 7-8 minutes, turning frequently, and until golden brown. Do not overcrowd your skillet! Drain on paper towels and serve immediately!

NOTES:
-You may cut the recipe in half. It takes my family 2 days to finish almost 2 pounds of chicken, so just keep the uncooked chicken in the fridge until ready to fry! It should be good for up to 48 hours in the fridge.

-If you realize that your flour mixture is running low (and you still have 2-3 pieces of chicken to coat) simply sprinkle in enough flour to coat your chicken pieces. Add an extra pinch of salt if you'd like!

Chicken Larb (Laap Gai)

I love Asian salad's of all kinds, and Laap Gai is definitely one of my favorites! If you've ever been to an authentic Laos or Thai restaurant, chances are, you've probably come across this minced meat salad on the menu.

My version uses freshly minced galangal and minced lemongrass to kick things up a notch. The Khmer girl in me, just wont allow me to make this recipe without it!

Give my recipe a go, and you will not be disappointed! :)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of ground chicken (may sub with ground pork)

1 tsp of fresh galangal minced

2 Tablespoons of fresh lemongrass minced

1/2 of a shallot sliced

4-5 sprigs of mint chopped

4 sawtooth coriander chopped

handful of cilantro chopped

half of a green onion chopped (green part only)

2-3 limes

1 Tablespoon of fish sauce

2 teaspoons of pahok/padek ( I prefer the liquid kind for this particular salad)

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

1/4 tsp of msg

1/2 teaspoon of dried chili flakes (or to taste)

2 Thai chili peppers finely chopped (or to taste)

1/4 cup of sticky rice/glutinous rice

You will also need:

extra virgin olive oil

a couple of Tablespoons of water

Garnishes:

sliced cucumbers

sliced jalapenos

romain lettuce

bean sprouts




INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Start off by dry roasting your sticky rice in a skillet on medium low heat. Stir the rice often, so that it browns evenly. This process should take about 10-15 minutes. Once done, place toasted rice in a mini blender or bullet, and process until ground. Set aside.

2. Take your ground chicken, and give it a little chop on your cutting board. This part is optional. I don't like huge chunks of chicken in my salad. :)

3. With your skillet on medium high heat, drizzle in some olive oil. Add in your ground chicken, a few Tablespoons of water, and cook until no longer pink, or completely cooked through.

4. Drain your chicken in a colander and place it back into the same skillet. (Make sure you've turned off your stove)

5. Add in your galangal, lemongrass, dried chili flakes, fish sauce, msg, and sugar. Mix well.

6. Transfer your chicken into a large mixing bowl, and add in your fresh herbs, limes, fresh chili, pahok, and mix well. Taste check for seasoning. Add your toasted rice powder (to taste) last. Toss again, and serve immediately.

Sticky and Sweet Chili Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds of chicken wings

1 small shallot finely chopped

6 cloves of garlic finely chopped

a bottle of store bought sweet chili sauce

chili flakes (optional)

vegetable oil or peanut oil for frying

FOR THE FLOUR MIXTURE:

8 ounces of rice flour (may sub with all purpose flour)

1 cup of cornstarch

garlic powder

onion powder

black pepper

white pepper

salt

paprika

msg (optional)


INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put your rice flour and corn starch into a brown paper bag. Add in your seasonings and mix well.

2. Place your chicken into the paper bag and toss to coat. Shake off the excess flour, and place your coated chicken on a wire rack.

3. Heat up your oil to 350 degrees. Fry your chicken in batches for about 7-8 minutes, being careful not to overcrowd your skillet. Drain your fried chicken on paper towels. Set aside.

4. On medium high heat, add in some oil, and cook your shallots until softened and brown. Add in your chopped garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in your chili flakes, if using.

5. Stir in your sweet chili sauce, taste for seasoning, and add 2 pinches of salt, if needed.

6. Turn the heat up, add in your chicken, and toss to coat in your sauce. Serve immediately.

Ginger and Chicken Stir Fry (Cha Kngey)

This ginger and chicken stir fry is one of my go-to recipes for summer. It's quick, easy, flavorful, and we all already know just how good ginger is for the body.



INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of boneless/skinless chicken thighs

3 ounces (1 full cup) of ginger sliced julienne

3 cloves of chopped garlic

half of a small onion, roughly chopped

4 bunches of green onion, cut about 1- 1 1/2 inches wide

dash of sesame oil



FOR THE SAUCE/MARINADE:

2 teaspoons of sugar

1/2 Tablespoon of fish sauce

1 Tablespoon of oyster sauce

1 Tablespoon of dark soy sauce

1/4 cup of water (may use more later)

black pepper to taste

1/2 Tablespoon of cornstarch



INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut up your chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.

2. Into a small mixing bowl, add in your sugar, fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and water. Mix well.

3. Pour your sauce mixture over your chicken. Mix well. Add in some black pepper, and 1/2 Tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix again, and set aside.

4. Into a hot skillet, add in some olive oil. Stir fry your ginger for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.

5. Add in your chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.

6. Add in your marinaded chicken (including the sauce), into your skillet, turn up the heat a bit, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

7. When chicken is almost cooked through, add in your chopped white onion. Stir, and add a bit more water if necessary. Taste check for seasoning and cook for additional 3-5 more minutes.

8. Add in your green onions and cook for 1-2 more minutes, turn off heat, and drizzle in a bit of sesame oil.

Chicken Penne Alfredo

One of my daughter's favorite thing to eat is pasta with alfredo sauce. I mean, I don't really blame her...the sauce is creamy, smooth, and has a nice cheesy taste from the parmesan. I usually like to mix it up and use a total of 3 different types of cheeses (cream cheese, parmesan, and monterrey jack) but since I only had parmesan in my fridge, that's what I went with in the recipe. If I'm being honest, I'm actually not too fond of too much parmesan, but that's just my personal preference. You are more than welcome to use any cheese combination, you'd like!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound of penne noodles (cooked according to the packaging)

5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs

salt

black pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

Italian seasoning

FOR THE ALFREDO SAUCE:

1 stick (4 ounces) of unsalted butter

1 block (8 ounces) of softened/cubed cream cheese

1 pint of heavy cream

5 ounces of freshly grated parmesan

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1/4 tsp of onion powder

1/4 tsp of sugar

salt

black pepper

white pepper

ADDITIONAL GARNISH:
cilantro


INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook your pasta according to the packaging. Drain well, and drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat.
2. Wash and pat dry your chicken. Season lightly with salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
3. With a skillet on medium high heat, drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil. Carefully add in your chicken with the seasoned side, down. Season the other side of the chicken, cover (but leave a slight crack), turn down heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. Flip over chicken, slightly cover again, and cook for an additional 5 more minutes, or until done. Remove and allow to rest before slicing.
4. In a small saucepan on medium heat, add in your stick of butter. Once melted, add in your cream cheese. Stir using a wooden spoon, until it almost resembles cottage cheese.
5. Switch to a wire whisk, and pour in your heavy cream. Whisk until almost smooth and most of the cream cheese has melted. It should take a few minutes. (Do not let this mixture come to a hard boil.)
6. Add in your parmesan and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and sugar. Keep whisking until sauce is smooth and has thickened to liking.
7. Slice up your chicken.
8. Add some penne onto a plate (reheat in microwave if necessary), top with alfredo sauce, and top with your sliced chicken. Garnish with cilantro. ENJOY!

Caramelized Sugar and Fish Sauce Chicken

I love quick and easy recipes that require no thinking...wouldn't you agree??

I love anything involving caramelizing sugar, so this recipe was a no brainer. It's slightly sweet, slightly salty, and pairs beautifully with some white rice and papaya salad!

INGREDIENTS:

5-6 chicken thighs with skin on and bone in

1 block (59 grams) of palm sugar (may sub for granulated sugar)

3 cloves of chopped garlic

1/4 cup of water

3 Tbsp of fish sauce

1/4 tsp of black pepper

1/4 tsp of onion powder

1/4 tsp of msg (optional)

pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wash you chicken and then pat them dry with paper towels. Place them into a large, shallow mixing bowl and add in your chopped garlic.
2. In a small separate mixing bowl, add in your water, fish sauce, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and msg (if using). Mix well and then pour this mixture all over your chicken.
3. Coat your chicken with the marinade and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. On medium heat, melt your palm sugar. Make sure you use a heavy bottom skillet or pan, or else your sugar will not caramelize properly. Do not disturb or attempt to stir your palm sugar, until most of it has melted.
5. Give your palm sugar a quick stir, turn up the heat to medium high, and then carefully add in your chicken SKIN SIDE DOWN. Do not add in the juices from the marinade, just yet.
6. Let your chicken cook for about 3 minutes.
7. Add in the juices from your chicken, and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
8. Turn your chicken over, and continue to cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes.
9. Place your chicken into a baking dish, along with the juices, and bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven for about 25-30 minutes. Make sure to baste your chicken at least 2-3 times.
10. Serve immediately with rice and papaya salad! YUM!

NOTES: If you are using white granulated sugar instead of palm sugar, you may need to use a bit of water to get your sugar to caramelize.

Asian Fried Chicken

Homemade fried chicken is the BUSINESS!!

Is there anything more glorious than a crispy batch of homemade fried chicken??

I THINK NOT.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of chicken wings, cleaned and patted completely dry

vegetable oil for frying

FOR THE MARINADE:

3 Tbsp of oyster sauce

2 tsp of fish sauce

1 tsp of sugar

black pepper

FOR THE FLOUR MIXTURE:


3 Tbsp of all purpose flour

3 Tbsp of potato starch

3 Tbsp of rice flour

1 Tbsp of cajun seasoning

2 tsp of garlic powder

2 tsp of onion powder

1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp of white pepper

1/4 tsp of black pepper

1/4 tsp of chili powder

2 pinches of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Marinade your your chicken for at least 30 minutes (or overnight). Bring your chicken up to room temperature before you fry it.
2. In a shallow mixing bowl, add your flour/spices together, and stir to combine.
3. Dip your chicken pieces into your flour mixture, toss to coat, and tap off the excess.
4. Fry your chicken in batches until cooked through. It could take anywhere from 7-8 minutes.

NOTES: Make sure to coat the chicken with the flour mixture by hand, and not use the "place everything in a ziplock baggie, and shake", method. If you do it that way, most of your flour mixture will end up sticking to the inside of the bag, instead of on your chicken. Don't ask me why I know that.

Asian Baked Chicken

You will need:

3 pounds of chicken wings or you may use short ribs instead

1 tsp of black pepper

1 tsp of onion powder

1 and 1/4 tsp of garlic powder

2 1/2 T of fish sauce (preferably Three Crabs Brand) http://www.amazon.com/Three-Crabs-Brand-Fish-Sauce/dp/B0000CNU54

3 T of oyster sauce

3 T of hoisen sauce (preferably Koon Chun brand)http://www.amazon.com/Koon-Chun-Hoisin-Sauce-jar/dp/B000EIP6MA

Wash your chicken or beef short ribs and pat COMPLETELY dry before you marinade them. YOU MUST MARINADE OVERNIGHT.  If you have the time, you can also keep them for up to 2 days in your fridge before you bake or grill them. Bake chicken@425 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown. If you are baking a lot of chicken at once, you may need to bake them for longer. Also if you like them more charred, you can switch the oven to broil for a few minutes, just make sure that you watch them closely.

If you are using beef short ribs, grill them on medium to medium high heat for a few minutes on each side. You can also grill them in a large frying pan just remember to add a little bit of olive oil before you fry them.

[caption id="attachment_1509" align="alignnone" width="640"] Mmm....my baked chicken with papaya salad! YUMMY!![/caption]

 

The link to my papaya salad can be found here.

NOTES: Obviously, if you have an Asian market near you, make sure you purchase your fish sauce and oyster sauce there. Some American food chains do carry the preferred items I listed above, but they are suuuuuuper expensive! Also when washing beef short ribs, please be thorough because when butchers are slicing the beef, shards of bone fragment get left on the meat. Nothing ruins your eating experience more then having to spit out tiny pieces of bone while chowing down. Unfortunately, I too, have been guilty of not washing them thoroughly...I'm so ashamed. :(

Lemon and Rosemary Herbed Roasted Chicken

You want a home cooked meal but don't want to spend hours slaying away in the kitchen?? Well, HELLO! No need to look any further! My roasted chicken will fill you up and takes only minutes to prep!

Ingredients:

5-5 1/2 pound whole chicken (washed and completely dried)
Extra virgin olive oil
one garlic bulb, cut in half
half of  a small onion
6 brussel sprouts halved
4-6 baby red potatoes halved
4  large carrots cut into 2 inch pieces
salt
black pepper
onion and garlic powder
2 Tbsp of softened unsalted butter
Kitchen twine

For the dry rub:

1 Tbsp of lemon pepper
2 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of dried rosemary
1/2 tsp of onion powder
1/4 tsp of herbs de provence
1/4 tsp of black pepper

 

Instructions: 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Move your oven rack to the lowest rack possible (for the chicken) and have another rack on the second to highest rack (for the brussel sprouts).

1. Take a roasting pan or baking sheet and line it with foil for easy clean up. Set this aside.

2. Combine your ingredients for your dry rub into a small mixing bowl and then set aside.

3. Place your potatoes and carrots on your baking sheet fitted with the foil. Drizzle on some olive oil and then season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Toss to coat and if using, place an oven rack right on top of the veggies.

4. Put your brussel sprouts on some foil (or baking sheet) and drizzle some olive oil. Season and toss to coat.

5. Get your chicken and rub some olive oil all over it, coating both sides. Take your dry rub and begin to evenly distribute the rub. Don't overly coat the wings. Remember there isn't a lot of meat on there, and you don't want to make it too salty. A pinch on both sides will suffice. If your chicken is smaller (less than 5 pounds, use 3/4 of the dry rub and put the rest in an air tight container).

6.  Using a butter knife, get under the skin and place some butter underneath. Do so, on both sides.

7. Stuff the cavity with your garlic and onion.

8. Using some kitchen twine, tie together the legs. Place your chicken over the carrots and potatoes BREAST SIDE DOWN.

9. Bake chicken for 45 minutes.

10. After 45 minutes, add your brussel sprouts and flip your chicken over and continue to bake for another 40 minutes.

11. Flip your brussel sprouts at least once during roasting. They should take about 20 minutes so make sure to keep an eye on them and remove them when they are ready.

12. After about 1 1/2  hours total, your chicken should be done ( or until a kitchen thermometer reads 165 degrees). I like to turn off the heat and then leave my chicken in there for another 10-15 minutes (depending on how large my chicken is).

13. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately with your vegetables.



NOTES:  At home, we like to eat our chicken and roasted vegetables with a side of rice. My kids enjoy it with soy sauce while I enjoy it with my sweet and sour dipping sauce . You can find that recipe here.

Roasted Chicken on Steamed Buns w/Hoisen Sauce

Every once in a while, I just don't have the time to put a lavish meal together for my hungry, little army. And on those days, I head over to Costco or Fred Meyer's and purchase their whole, slow roasted chicken, and then I'll serve it with a side of steamed veggies. More often than not, I will usually have leftover chicken that's been tucked away in the fridge and forgotten, only to be found a week later. Woopsy daisy, I guess in the garbage, it goes!! NOT ANY LONGER! I've recently come up with my new go-to recipe for leftover chicken! THEY TASTE AMAZING and my kids absolutely love them!! They call them..."the yummy puffs!" Lol! If you're familiar with Peking duck on steamed buns(pancakes)with a sweet hoisen sauce, then you'll love this one cause the only difference here, is that I use chicken!! A MUST TRY RECIPE!

For the chicken you will need:

leftover slow roasted chicken, hand shredded
salt, sugar, onion powder, black pepper, and fish sauce to taste
chopped garlic
some chicken broth or chicken stock
olive oil

For the hoisen sauce:

Hoisen sauce(recommended Koon Chun brand)
a splash of sesame oil
brown sugar to taste

For the fried ginger:

one whole knob of ginger, peeled then sliced julienne
salt, sugar, fish sauce, black pepper to taste
olive oil

You will also need some plain, frozen buns(re-steamed)and then sliced open like a hotdog bun

For garnish:

Some green onions(white parts only), sliced julienne

On medium high heat, add in some olive oil into your hot pan. Next, add in your ginger slices and stir for a few seconds. Add in a little sugar, salt, black pepper, and fish sauce to taste. Fry until crispy. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl with your shredded chicken, add a little bit of salt, sugar, black pepper, onion powder and fish sauce. Next, add just enough chicken stock to re-moisten your chicken. Taste check. Don't make it too salty though, because you will get most of the flavor from your hoisen sauce! On medium high heat, add some olive oil and throw in your garlic. Stir fry it a little bit, and then add in your chicken. Heat it through and taste check once more. Remove and set aside.

Using the same pan, add in your hoisen sauce. Next, add a splash of sesame oil, but don't overdo it. Then, add in some brown sugar to taste. Finally, move your pan over to your stove, and on medium low heat, stir your hoisen sauce paste, just until all the brown sugar dissolves. Remove and place into a small, serving dish.

And that's all folks!! All that's left is steaming up the buns! This is a fun dish to make cause then all of  your guests can assemble their own mini sandwiches, as they please!!

Notes: You may replace fish sauce with soy sauce if you're not a fan. The type of hoisen sauce really does matter in this case. I highly recommend the Koon Chun brand. If you're super lazy, then you probably don't even need to add any additional flavorings to it. Other brands are a lot saltier, and just don't taste as good! Be careful NOT to over season your chicken! You will get a ton of flavor from your hoisen sauce. Also it's best to slice your buns while they are cold. Remove your frozen buns from the freezer, wait 10 minutes and then slice them. If you slice it after you've steamed them, they become difficult to cut because they are so soft.

Watch my video below to get a better idea!! :)

Chinese five spice roasted chicken

You will need:
1(6 pound) whole chicken that has been cleaned and patted dry.
5 carrots cut into large chunks
5 large celery stalks cut into large chunks
1 pound of small, baby potatoes cut in half
1 bulb of garlic cut in half
1 stalk of bruised lemongrass(trimmed)
1 package of roasted potatoes spices(follow the directions on the package but only rub about 1 Tbsp onto the actual potatoes)
3 Tbsp of softened butter
salt
black pepper

Dry rub for chicken:
1 Tbsp of Chinese five spice
1/2 tsp of poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp of paprika
1 1/4 tsp of salt
1 tsp of black pepper
2 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of onion powder
3 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of msg(optional)
Kitchen twine or string

For the gravy:
3 Tbsp of butter
3 Tbsp of sifted all purpose flour
about 2 cups of chicken broth(use your pan drippings and mix with chicken broth to total 2 cups)
salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

First, make your dry rub and then set aside. Next, remove giblets from the chicken, then wash it thoroughly(don't forget to clean the inside as well). Generously coat the chicken with the dry rub. Then, add some softened underneath the skin. Once done, salt and pepper the cavity and then add in your garlic and lemongrass. Take some kitchen twine and securely tie the legs together. Allow the chicken to rest overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Take your chicken out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temp. Next, take your celery and carrots and place them into your roasting pan. Drizzle in some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Do the same with the baby potatoes or use a package of roasted potato seasoning like I did in the video. Put your chicken directly on top of all the veggies and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees. You may tent the chicken with foil if it gets too dark looking for you. Let chicken rest for 30 minutes before cutting into it. Remove the veggies from roasting pan and pour the liquid/drippings from the pan into a fat separator or measuring cup and scoop out most of the fat. Add in some chicken broth to make a total of 2 cups. Set aside.

On medium high heat, add in 3 Tbsp of butter into a hot, cast iron skillet. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until butter has completely melted. Then, add in 3 Tbsp of sifted flour and continue to whisk until smooth. Once it has started to turn color, slowly pour in your reserved drippings/chicken broth mix and continue to whisk. Add in some salt, pepper, and sugar, and taste check as you go along. Continue to cook until gravy has thickened, about 15 minutes or so. Transfer to gravy bowl.

Cut up your chicken and place on a platter along with your roasted veggies and homemade gravy!! YUMMY!!

Massaman Curry(semi-homemade)

Curry shouldn't have to be a pain in the ass!! This recipe is EASY, DELICIOUS, and no one has to EVER know that it was semi-homemade! Your secret is safe with me! :)

You will need:
4 cans of pre-made Massaman Curry(Hmart sells them)!
2 pounds of diced chicken thighs
some fried tofu(optional)
1 onion sliced
1 can(16.9 ounces) of young coconut water. DO NOT USE COCONUT MILK.
1/2 a can of(11.5 ounces)pineapple juice
4-5 large carrots in large chunks
4-5 golden potatoes in large cubes
2 big handfuls of petite green beans(trimmed)
1 T. of palm sugar
1/2 tsp of msg(optional)
1/2 tsp of salt
black pepper
1 tsp of tamarind powder
1/2 T. of Knorr brand(no msg added), roasted chicken base(I purchased from Cash and Carry)
peanut oil

Open up your canned curry and remove any lime leaf if you see them. The curry in the can will look like it separated but that's normal. Once you puree it, it will no longer look like that! Lol. Place the curry into a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside. Add some peanut oil into a large, hot, stock pot. Add your sliced onion, some salt, and cook for a few minutes. Add in your chicken, stir, and cook until most of it is no longer pink. Add in a pinch of salt and some freshly grated black pepper. Then, pour in your coconut water and 1/2 a small can of pineapple juice. Stir to combine. Pour in your reserved pr-emade curry and mix well. Toss in your chunks of carrot and let the soup come to a boil. Cover and reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid and carefully add in your potatoes. Add in your palm sugar, salt, roasted chicken base, tamarind powder, and msg if using. Stir and allow soup to come to a boil once again. Reduce the heat, cover, and allow to simmer until carrots and potatoes are cooked through. Add in your green beans, cook for 7 more minutes or until cooked through. If you are using tofu, add in your tofu in the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time. Taste check, and add additional seasoning if necessary. Serve warm over rice or with some french bread.

Notes: This curry is thick because that's how my husband likes it! He prefers to take some slices of french bread and dip it into the soup and devour the bowl until the fat lady sings(ME)!! If you prefer your soup less thick, just add more coconut water and adjust seasoning, accordingly. Soups taste even better the next day, so if you have the time, I would suggest that you make this curry the night before--just reheat it the following day! Also, this recipe makes quite a bit of curry so feel free to cut recipe in half.

Chicken Adobo

You will need:
9 drumsticks(or a little over 2 pounds of chicken)
2 bay leaves
2 cups of water
peanut oil

To marinade the chicken you will need:
1/4 cup of vinegar
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1 Tablespoon of freshly grated ginger(or more depending on preference)
1/4 tsp of salt(you may need to add more later)
3 T of palm sugar(may use sugar)
1/4 tsp of msg(optional)

Marinade your chicken for a couple of hours(preferably overnight). Take the chicken out of the fridge and bring to room temp. With your wok on medium high heat, add some peanut oil and carefully add your chicken, along with the juices. Fry chicken for about 3 minutes, turning often, then add in your 2 cups of water and your bay leaves. Let it come to a rolling boil and remove any scum that rises to the surface. Turn the heat down to medium low, cover with lid, and allow to simmer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove lid, turn the heat up a bit, and cook until sauce has reduced, about 30 more minutes. Meat should be tender, and falling off the bone. Taste check. You should get a good cross between salty/sweet and tangy!! Add more soy sauce, sugar, or vinegar if needed!

Easy Chicken and Bok Choy Stir Fry

Let's face it...most people think that there just isn't enough time in a day!! If you're crunched on time and craving some restaurant style stir fry, then look no further!! This stir fry is delicious, packed with veggies and protein, and takes 25 minutes to make AND prepare!!

You will need:

10 ounces of chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
9 ounces of mushroom chopped into bite sized pieces
11 ounces of baby bok choy(or 5 small bunches)
half of an onion sliced
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tsp of freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp of msg(optional)
1/8 tsp of salt
some black pepper
peanut oil
2 tsp of cornstarch with a little bit of water(you will also add 1 tsp to the chicken while it's marinating).
green onion for garnish
dried red chilis(optional)

For the sauce you will need:

2/3 cup of water
1 T of good fish sauce
2 T of good oyster sauce
1 T of soy sauce
1/2 T of sugar
2 T of rice wine

Make your sauce and set it aside. Meanwhile, chop up your chicken into bite sized pieces. Add 3 T of the sauce to your chopped chicken. Add in your black pepper, 1 tsp of cornstarch, and 1 tsp of ground ginger. Mix to combine and allow to marinade while you work on your veggies.

Wash and pick apart your baby bok choy and set aside. Clean and chop up your mushrooms and set aside as well.

Add in some peanut oil into a hot wok(medium high heat). Throw in your sliced onions. Add in a pinch of salt and cook for 1 minute. Add in your chopped garlic. Cook for 20 seconds or until fragrant. Add in your marinaded chicken. Stir fry until cooked through.

Add in your mushrooms plus a little bit of reserved sauce so nothing sticks to the pan. The mushrooms I use take a little bit longer to cook so if you use a different kind it may cook faster so keep an eye on it. Put the lid back on(turn down the heat a bit) and allow to steam until cooked to your liking.

Remove lid, stir, and then add in your baby bok choy. Add in the rest of the reserved sauce, stir again, and allow to cook uncovered for 1-2 minutes. After 2 minutes, mix 2 tsp of cornstarch(or more if you like more gravy-like)and a bit of water together, make a well down the middle of the wok, and pour the cornstarch in. Mix it well with the sauce, give everything one more big stir, and allow it to cook for one more minute to thicken. Add in some more black pepper if desired and also some dried red chili too!

Garnish it with some sliced scallions and serve hot with some steamed rice!! YUMMY!!! :)