You’ve been invited to another party. While socialization is wonderful, coming up with new ideas for a dish to bring can be difficult. Crockpot meatballs – nope. Pasta salad – nope. Baked beans – still nope.
Tropical Chicken BItes
You’ve been invited to another party. While socialization is wonderful, coming up with new ideas for a dish to bring can be difficult. Crockpot meatballs - nope. Pasta salad - nope. Baked beans - still nope. You can surprise everyone with these Topical Chicken Bites. They’re a perfect finger food - crunchy with sweet heat. And, if you want them as a meal, just serve them with rice and a little pineapple salsa. Tip: You can substitute ground pork or turkey for the chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
- 1 jalapeños (sliced in rounds)
- Buttermilk
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 c cornstarch
- 1/2 c flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- pinch salt and pepper
- Frying oil (canola, peanut, vegetable)
SAUCE
- 2 tbsp clover honey
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or hoisin)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 cup fresh pineapple juice
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp orange zest
- ¼ tsp chili oil (optional)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- Water
- 1 Fresh pineapple peeled and cored
- Sesame seeds (green onion)
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHICKEN
- After you cube the chicken, transfer it to a food storage container. Cover it with the buttermilk, and add the jalapeno, ginger, and garlic. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- In the meantime, set up your dredging station with two bowls
- Place the eggs and water in one bowl and beat with a fork
- In the second bowl, mix the cornstarch, baking powder, flour, and salt. Mix well.
- Drain the buttermilk from the chicken
- Pat the pieces lightly with a paper towel
- Coat each piece of chicken in the egg, followed by the flour mix (make sure every surface has flour).
- Heat the frying oil to 350F
- Fry the chicken in small batches so there’s plenty of room on all sides to reach the oil
- Cook for 5 minutes per side until golden brown (you will need to flip the pieces midway for an even color).
- Let them drain on paper towels to decrease the oil
- Toss with sauce before serving
INSTRUCTIONS SAUCE
- Place the honey, sugar, soy, vinegar, garlic, pineapple juice, sesame oil, orange zest, and chili oil into a medium sauce pot.
- Warm it over a medium-low flame for 10 minutes
- Mix the cornstarch with water for a slurry
- Bring the sauce up to boiling and slowly whisk the cornstarch in for thickening
- Reduce the heat to low
- Place the chicken in a large bowl and toss it with the sauce. Add sesame seeds and green onion.
- Cut up the pineapple (as much as you like) and mix it in.
- Serve as is with toothpicks. Or, if you want to make this into a meal, offer rice or noodles.