Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tenders

 

When I worked at the Manor I always had to have a fresh plate of cooked Chicken Tenders in the refrigerator for the Mrs. to snack on at all times.  I also had to have a tray of fresh vegetables and dip and a tray of devilled eggs at the ready for the Mrs and Mrs.

  

It used to really annoy me if I got them done and in the refrigerator and the daughter came home with her friends and then they snuffled them all up without a second thought.  That meant I would have to make a quick trip to the shops and do them all over again . . .  along with my other duties.    I did not have a very understanding boss.  The daughter and her friends eating all that you had prepared was not a good enough excuse.  Those things had to be there no matter what.   It was my job after all  . . . so I shouldn't really complain.  It wasn't that I didn't like doing these things, I just didn't like having to do them twice in one day.

 

Chicken tenders are  a little strip of meat that is attached to the underside of a chicken breast.  Most of the time you won't actually see them on the breast because they have already been removed and packaged separately, but occasionally you will find them still attached.  This is the most succulent and tender part of a chicken breast, with the exception of the tendon that you can usually see quite clearly running down the length of the tender on one side.  I normally remove this prior to cooking, as it can be quite tough and unappealing.

 

The first way that you can do this is I recommend two ways to grab the tendon with your fingers (or a piece of paper towel) and pull on it while scraping with your knife to release the tendon from the breast. Continue to lift and scrape until the tendon is completely removed. Alternatively, you can use a sharp boning knife and slice along both sides of the tendon (without slicing through the tendon). Then lift any part of the tendon that has been separated from the breast and use your boning knife the cut any parts where the tendon has not cleanly separated from the meat.

 

I have also heard of people using a fork to do this.  Basically you cut around the small piece of the tendon that is already protruding out a little bit, just to get a little better grip on it. Then, slide that end of the tendon through a fork and pull it straight out as the fork holds the chicken in place. You might have to use a paper towel to hold on to the tendon as it has a tendency to slip right through your fingers.  The paper towel helps to hold it in place.

 

Hopefully they will stay all in one piece (the tenders) but occasionally they will tear a bit.  That's not a problem when you are doing some thing that is wrapped in bacon like these ones I am sharing with you today.  The bacon holds them together well.

  

This recipe has to be the Cadillac of chicken tender recipes  . . .  imagine it  . . .  a length of juicy and tender chicken . . . .

 

Rolled in a selection of herbs and spices . . .

 

Wrapped in a rasher of streaky bacon  . . . .

 

Coated in a mix of brown sugar and chili powder  . . .

 

And then baked, until the chicken is cooked through and all of those fabulous flavours from the bacon and spices have been absorbed . . .

 

And the brown sugar and chili mixture has coated them in a sticky sweet layer of finger-licking goodness!

 

Oh boy but these are some good!  Especially if you serve the with a dip for dipping.  Some people like a sour cream ranch dip and others like a honey mustard . . .  still others like a creamy garlic dip.

  

Me, I like them just the way they are. Unadulterated. A lip smacking tasty mix of sweet, spicy and smoky!!

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tenders

Yield: 10

Author: Marie Rayner

Sweet, spicy and delicious. Serve as is or with your favourite dip.  Perfect for game nights!

ingredients:

• 10 chicken tenders, trimmed
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 - 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 10 slices of streaky bacon
• 65g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1 TBS mild chili powder, or to taste

instructions:

How to cook Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tenders

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a baking tray with aluminium foil.
2. Shake the Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper together in a plastic bag.  Add the chicken tenders and shake to coat them in the spice mixture.  Wrap each coated tender in a slice of streaky bacon, tucking the ends in  and lay them out on the baking sheet.
3. Mix together the brown sugar and chili powder.  Sprinkle some of this over each chicken tender, pressing it firmly into the chicken in order for it to adhere properly.
4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.  If desired you can pop it under the broiler to crisp up the bacon a bit.  Serve hot.

Did you make this recipe?

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This is a really popular finger food for when you are entertaining guests at a cocktail type of affair,  or for when the gang is all gathered  together to watch the big match, children's or teen parties, etc.  In short . . . . anytime. Put it this way, there are never any leftover. 

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Grilled Egg in a Hat Breakfast Sandwich

 

If you are a Vegetarian or a Vegan, you might want to look away now.  What follows isn't going to be pretty for you, however tasty it might seem to the rest of us. Sorry about that!

 

When I was a child I used to love it when my mom made us Egg in a Hat  (or Egg in a Hole) for breakfast.  It was a real treat.  A lovely runny egg, cooked into a piece of golden brown buttery toast.  Oh boy was it ever yummy.

 

I've been thinking about that sandwich all week long and pondering how I could make it even better . .  . in a way that has never been done before.  I think I might have cracked it! (No pun intended! Seriously!)

  

As you know at the weekend I like to pull out the stops a bit and give Todd (my husband) a bit of a treat for breakfast on at least one of the mornings.  When I first moved over here we would pop into town and go to one of the shops and have a fry up at their cafe.  We haven't done that in a long time now.

 

Grilled cheese sandwiches are something which we are quite fond of  . . .  we are also quite fond of bacon sandwiches . . .  a really rare treat . . .

 

Today I have combined our favourite grilled cheese . . .  using a really good strong cheddar, sliced (no plastic cheese here) . . .

 

with some grilled back bacon . . .  you could use streaky . . .  its up to you.  I have been using the nitrate-free, free range bacon from the people at Naked Bacon.  So its not quite as bad for you as regular bacon.

 

Add to that a perfectly cooked large free range rspca approved egg with a runny yolk, cooked "in a hat" style  . . .  with that crisp buttery hat perched on top . . .

 

And I do believe you have a pretty darned near perfect breakfast sandwich! 

 

I did use a good whole wheat bread . . .  and I always use real butter . . . 

 

Todd thought he had died and gone to heaven  . . .  he is a cheddar man all the way  . . .

 

 We like brown sauce with ours  . . .  some people like ketchup  . . . we are brown sauce people . . .

 

That egg was perfectly cooked  . . .  not too runny, but just enough of a gorgeous rich goo to sink your teeth into with pleasure  . . . 

 

Likewise the cheese  . . .  melted just perfectly  . . .  along with that salty bacon and that crisp buttery bread  . . .  which is kind of like fried bread when you really think about it.

  

It went down a real treat, let me tell you  . . .  a REAL treat!

Grilled Egg in a Hat Breakfast Sandwich

Yield: 1

Author: Marie Rayner

Egg in a hole, a fried egg, fried into a hold cut in a slice of bread, sandwiched together with some grilled bacon and cheddar cheese and another slice of bread, toasted in a skillet until golden brown all over. Quantities and instructions are given for only one sandwich. If you want more, multiply everything by the numbers you want. Its really only possible to make one at a time anyways. This is a knife and a fork sandwich.

ingredients:

• 2 slices of your favourite bread (pick a sturdy one)
• 1 large free range egg
• salt and black pepper
• 4 slices of grilled streaky bacon, or two sliced of grilled back bacon
• 1  1/2 slices of strong cheddar cheese
• softened butter for spreading

instructions:

How to cook Grilled Egg in a Hat Breakfast Sandwich

1. Make sure you have your bacon all grilled before you begin, and your cheese sliced. (I sometimes buy strong cheddar already cut in slices and that is what I used today.)
2. Butter one slice of bread on both sides and one slice of bread on one side only..  Cut a shape out of one that has been buttered on both sides with a cookie cutter.  Today I used a flower.  A heart is nice and so is a circle. Just go with your own inspiration.  
3. Place the piece of bread with the cut out into a large skillet, placed over moderate heat.  Drop a tiny knob of butter into the centre of it.  Crack your egg into the hole as soon as the butter begins to foam.  Cook until set on the bottom.  Add the cutout to the pan over on the side so that you can toast that also.  Flip the toast with the egg in the centre over and cook just until you have the egg done to your liking. (We like them a bit runny.)  Season to taste with some salt and black pepper.  Remove and keep warm for a few minutes, while put in the other piece of bread.  Flip over the cutout. (I hope you've been keeping an eye on it. If it is done, take it out and keep it warm)
4. Add the other slice of bread, buttered side down to the skillet.  Top with the cheese and then the bacon.  Finally pop on the egg bread, egg side down.  Cook and toast over moderate heat until the cheese melts and the sandwich is heated through. Pop that little toasty cut out on top and serve to one very lucky person.  We like brown sauce with ours.

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I largely abstained from this myself  . . .  I don't need the extra calories in all truth.  I did have a tiny nibble from the edge.  Todd didn't mind.  He is used to eating food that has been sitting long enough to have photos taken of it, and nibbles missing.  LOL  Such is the life of the husband of a food writer!  Happy Mother's Day to all you North American ladies out there!  I hope you are treated really special today.  You deserve it.

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Bacon & Cheese Panini

 

A friend of mine on Instagram posted a ham and cheese panini on her feed the other day and it looked amazingly delicious.  I thought it was bacon, but she said no, ham . . . it looked sooooooo good! I have been thinking about it ever since   . . .  except in my mind it was bacon, not ham  . . . I do so love the occasional bacon sandwich. 

 

Back in my early days here in the UK, Todd and I worked together at a BP service station that had a cafe attached.  They sold tons of bacon, sausage, as well as  bacon & sausage baguettes every morning.  You would see the same guys buying them every day. 

 

I was always mystified by the draw of them.  They used the cheapest nastiest bacon and sausages.  You should have seen the grease in the bottom of the warming cabinet that would have to be cleaned out at the end of every day.  Blech!  Blech!  Blech! 

 

I only like to use a good quality bacon in my sandwiches . . .  and I am not fond of sausage in sandwiches at all.  (I am not sure why.)    

 

There has been a lot on the news lately about the higher incidence of bowel cancer in people who eat processed meats every day. I often wonder about those builders that were coming in every day and  filling up on that cheap and nasty stuff.  I recently discovered Finnebrogue Naked Bacon, which is made without any nitrites and artificial additives.  This is what I have been buying.  It costs a bit more than regular bacon, but I reckon for the few times we might have bacon, it is worth every penny. 

 

I haven't seen it as streaky bacon, just the back bacon. But you can get it smoked and unsmoked.  It is air dried and it is lovely, and no . . .  I have not been paid or given any free bacon to say that.  I just plain like it and think you might too. 

 

Especially if you are like me and a bit concerned about the use of nitrates and preservatives in our food.  

 

This is not low fat by any stretch, which makes it a real treat . . .  all butter croissants . . .  Jarlsberg cheese  . . .  back bacon  . . .  

I grilled the back bacon under my oven grill/broiler.  If you slash the fatty edge first, it won't curl up.

 

Lightly buttered and pressed in a Panini press until the croissant is golden brown and has nice crispy bits  . . .  and the cheese is melted.

 

I like mine with a bit of brown sauce, or what is called HP sauce or steak sauce in North America.  Its really good.  Just spicy enough . . .

  

Todd likes his with tomato sauce/ketchup. There is no accounting for taste, lol.  Seriously I have never liked tomato ketchup on anything with bread.  Again, I have no idea why. 

Yield: 2Author: Marie Rayner

Bacon & Cheese Panini

A once in a blue-moon treat.  I enjoy mine with brown sauce. Todd prefers ketchup! Quick, easy and delicious!

ingredients:

• 2 all butter quality French Croissants
• 4 rashers of back bacon
• 4 slices of good melty cheese (I used Jarlsberg)
• softened butter

instructions:

1. Preheat the grill/broiler to high.  Clip the fatty edge of your back bacon and lay it out in a single layer on a foil lined grill tray.  Grill for approximately 4 minutes per side, or until it is done to your desired taste. Allow to drain on some paper kitchen toweling.
2. Preheat your Panini press is using, or skillet.  Slice your croissants in half through the middle.  Butter lightly on both the top and the bottom outer bits.  Place the buttered bottom down on the panini press/skillet.  Top with one slice of cheese, torn in half and laid out to cover it.  Top with two slices of back bacon, and another slice of cheese in the same way.  Place the croissant tops, buttered side up, on top of everything.
3. Cook in your Panini press until golden brown and the cheese has melted. Alternately cook in a heated skillet, pressing down with a spatula, top first,  and flipping over when golden brown, to brown the other side.
4. Serve immediately with your favourite sauce.

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I was really pleased to see this Naked Bacon in my local grocery store and bought it right away to try. I just love trying new things.  Especially if they promise to be healthier. I have been buying it ever since, which is not every week, by the way  . . .  maybe only once a month.  I hope they come out with a streaky version!  Yum!!

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