Quick & Easy Firecracker Chicken

 

One thing I really miss over here in the UK are Chinese Food Buffets.  I have not seen one yet that even comes close to what I was used to back home. My favourite one had probably about 25 different entrees to choose from, along with sides, etc. Plus a salad bar and a dessert bar.

 

There was Won Ton Soup, crispy fried won tons, egg rolls, spring rolls . . .  boiled rice, fried rice, chinese chicken wings, garlic spare ribs, sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli, ginger beef, chow meins, lemon chicken, prawns, chop suey, etc.  You think of a Chinese dish and they had it, plus stuff for those who were not overly fond of Chinese dishes, like chips, battered fish, onion rings,etc.

 

I suppose that was to appease people who can't eat a meal out without chips or who have to bring their children and want their children to have something they will eat as well.  I am not sure.

 

I miss Egg Rolls  . . .  there is no such thing here.  They only have Spring Rolls. I think Egg Rolls are better.  Its that filling with the cabbage and ground pork  . . .  yum . . .  I also miss the Chinese Chicken Wings. I have yet to find a suitable substitute here in the UK.  I did try Salt and Pepper Wings once, but they were not to my taste and not at all the same.

 

I think the Wings and fried Won Tons were always really popular back home because when the place was busy finding one or two left in the bin to have was difficult! People would load their plates up with them.  You learnt not to go up to the buffet until you saw them bringing them out, or you wouldn't get any.

 

I love the Lemon Chicken, Beef and Broccoli and of course the Sweet and Sour. I also adore Fire Cracker Chicken.  Fire Cracker Chicken is very similar to Sweet and Sour, except the sauce bites back!

 

I have never seen anything like it over here in the UK, and so I found a recipe for it online here, on a blog called Dinner at the Zoo.

 

It looked just like the real deal!  The only thing I didn't like was the part about deep frying in my house.  I hate the way my house smells after deep frying anything.  If I can avoid it at all, I will . . .

 

Tell me I am not alone in that!  It just makes the house stink like a chippy!  I will do it if I absolutely have to, but if I can find a way around it, I will!

 

A year or so ago I discovered frozen packs of Battered Chicken Breast Chunks.  They were a real game changer for me.  I could have deep fried battered pieces of chicken breast without having that disgusting smell in the house!

 

And they are actual chunks of real chicken breast in a real batter!  Plus they taste really good on their own.  You can deep fry if you must, but if I can leave that step out and still have something which tastes really, really good, I am going to choose the latter.

 

In the original recipe, the sauce thickens in the oven on the battered chicken.  In my adaptation, you make the sauce in the microwave and then pour it over the chicken breast chunks  as they bake in the ovenwhen they are almost done..  Easy peasy.

 

This also helps the chicken to maintain its crispy coating without it going all soggy.  In short . . . Fire Cracker Chicken perfection without all the fuss..

 

The sauce could also be thickened in a small saucepan on top of the hob. Just mix everything together, bring to the boil and cook at a low boil until it thickens.

 

This sauce was really spicy, but not to the point where I couldn't handle it. Normally I don't like things that bite me back.  This was just nice.  I think the rice wine vinegar kind of lightens the spicy whammy from the buffalo sauce a bit. In any case it was quite nice.

  

If you like it really spicy, amp up the red chili flakes. I am not overly fond of their heat so I was fairly judicious with my use of them.  All-together, this was a win in my books!

Quick & Easy Firecracker Chicken

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Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Chunks of crispy chicken in a sweet and spicy glaze. This quick and easy dinner option is sure to be popular with the family!  I served it with steamed rice and broccoli spears.

Ingredients:

• 1 (18 piece) package of frozen battered chicken breast chunks
• 80ml buffalo hot sauce (1/3 cup)
• 100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp crushed chili flakes (red pepper flakes)
• 1 spring onion, trimmed washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven according to the package directions for the chicken breast chunks.  Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and spray lightly with some canola cooking spray.
2. Scatter your chicken pieces over the baking sheet and bang into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. While the chicken is baking mix the buffalo hot sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and crushed chilies in a large microwave safe glass beaker.   Microwave on high for 2 minutes, whisk, microwave for a further minute.
4. Drizzle this mixture over the chicken pieces at the end of 10 minutes, stirring them to coat them in the sauce.  Return to the oven and cook for a furthr 5 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked and nicely glazed.  Sprinkle with spring onions and serve!

notes:

The cooking times will vary according to your package of chicken chunks.  I cut the time in thirds. Two thirds of the time with out the sauce, apply the sauce and cook for the remaining cook time.

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Do you know how to use chopsticks?  I have never been able to get the hang of them myself.  I can spear things with them, but not pick anything up.  It is a skill I have just never been able to get my head around.  I suppose with practice I would do better but I always just want to get in there and eat!  I guess I am too impatient!

 

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Tijuana Tacos

   

One thing I love to do is to come up with delicious ideas for using things that I have in my fridge and larder.  This weekend I cooked us a small roast dinner for our Sunday lunch.  Not something we have very often.  I had a quantity of leftover cooked roast beef and so today I set out to cook us something tasty using that and what I had to hand. 

 

I cut my beef up into small bits and fried it off together with some diced frozen peppers from the freezer and chopped onion.  I also added some spices and chopped black olives that were languishing in the bottom of a jar in the refrigerator.

 

Next I added a portion of refried beans that I also had in the freezer, along with some tomato sauce (and I don't mean ketchup), some water along with a splash of Worcestershire sauce and heated it all through.

 

Finally I added a generous handful of crushed tortilla chips that I had in the cupboard. I wanted to use them up before they got stale.  They also served the purpose of adding a bit of crunch and thickening it up a bit more.

 

I used taco sized wheat flour tortillas. I like to toast these over an open flame on the top of my stove.  I just use a pair of tongs and hold them over the flame, first on one side and then on the other.

 

If you fold them in half right away, they stay like that, which makes them perfect for tacos. Not hard like the crisp ones, but not entirely soft either.  Todd doesn't like really hard things.

 

I rooted through the refrigerator and found some tasty things for garnishing.  I had some sour cream, in the  bottom of a pot that needed using up.

 

I also had some spring onions that I chopped up. They add a nice touch of sharp earthy flavours and crunch.

 

I shredded up the last of my lettuce to use, but you could also use finely shredded cabbage if you have it.  Red or green, they taste the same.

 

I grated a small chunk of sharp cheddar cheese and then chopped a few green olives that needed using up.

 

Finally I garnished with a few more crushed tortilla chips.

 

I was really, REALLY pleased with the end results.  These were very tasty. Todd even had one for breakfast!

 

It made a great use of odds and bits from my refrigerator and freezer. Of course if you have fresh peppers, onions, etc. you can use them.  Its nice to know, however, that frozen work well also.

 

I didn't have any salsa or fresh tomatoes left, but either one would also make a great garnish.

 

This recipe is all about showing what you can do with very little. This situation we are all living in right now is a great opportunity for us to really stretch the boundaries of our cooking, to think outside the box as it were.

 

Its also a wonderful opportunity for us to decrease our waste. To make do and use it up.  Something which we should always be doing anyways.

Tijuana Tacos

Yield: Makes 12

Author: Marie Rayner

How to make something delicious from seemingly nothing at all.

Ingredients:

• 225g chopped cooked beef (can use leftover roast, or mince) (1 1/2 cups)
• 225g of refried beans (1 cup)
• 120ml tomato passatta (1/2 cup tomato sauce)
• 90ml water (3 fluid ounces)
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, trimmed and chopped (can use the equivalent in frozen chopped peppers)
• 3 TBS chopped ripe olives
• 1 tsp mild chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• dash each celery salt and ground  nutmeg
• splash or Worcestershire sauce
• a generous handful of tortilla chips crushed
• 12 taco sized soft tortillas, toasted

You will also need to garnish:

• 1/4 of a head of lettuce, finely shredded
• chopped spring onions
• chopped fresh tomatoes (if you have them)
• 2 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese
• a handful of chopped olives
• sour cream
• additional crushed tortilla chips
• Green Tabasco

Instructions:

How to cook Tijuana Tacos

1. Spritz a large non-stick frying pan with some spray oil.  Add the onions and peppers and cook over medium  heat until they start to soften. Throw in the chopped beef.  Cook and stir for a few minutes, then add all of the spices.  Cook and stir until quite fragrant, then stir in the tomato sauce, refried beans, olives and water.  Bring to a simmer and heat through.
2. In the meantime, heat your tortillas as desired. I like to hold mine over an open flame and toast them on both sides, folding them in half when heated.  Keep warm.
3. Make sure you have all of your toppings ready.
4. Crush your tortilla chips.  Stir them into the meat mixture, reserving a few for garnishing if desired.  Divide the mixture between the toasted tortillas.
5. Garnish each with some or all of the suggested garnishes. I sometimes like to add a splash of hot sauce. (I like the green tabasco.)  serve immediately and enjoy!

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These were really, really good.  It makes me feel good knowing that I can use up all my leftovers.  It also makes me feel good that I can create something so tasty out of very little, and just what I have on hand. What's the most creative thing you have come up with when using up what you need to use up food-wise in the house?  Care to share???  Don't ask me why I called these Tijuana Tacos. It just sounded Mexican. LOL

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Smoky Tomato & Garlic Prawns

 

My Todd really loves King Prawns.  I don't cook them for him often enough.  I confess, I can't eat them due to an allergy, but every once in a while I do cook some for him and he thoroughly enjoys them I have to say.

  

We get beautiful King Prawns from the people at Seafresh Quality Foods.  Seafresh is an on line fish monger which sells quality fish, seafood, poultry and meat.  I have always been incredibly impressed with both their product and their delivery service!  I have never had a bad experience. You can read about my first experience here! 

 

Today I gave them somewhat of a Spanish flair with a recipe I adapted from the Delicious magazine website.  It was meant to be used as a romantic starter for two people for a celebratory dinner.

 

Todd enjoyed them as a main with some brown rice.  I didn't cook the sauce down as much as the original recipe called for so I would have plenty of sauce to spoon over his rice.

 

The smokiness comes from the use of smoked paprika, or Pimentón which is its proper name.  It is a really fabulous ingredient with a lovely smoky flavour and is most often used in Spanish Cooking.  It is what helps to give Spanish Chorizo its fabulous colour and flavour.

 

What are the origins of Spanish Paprika or  Pimentón?

Paprika is made from ground, dried red chile peppers originally from the Americas. So important is paprika to Spanish cooking and so demanding are the Spanish of quality paprikas that there are Denominations of Origin (D.O.) for paprika. One of the D.O. is located in Murcia, a province on the Southeastern coast of Spain, between Almeria and Alicante. (Ariana is from Alicante.) The other and more famous is La Vera, which is located in Cáceres, Extremadura, southwest of Madrid. Both of these areas are warm and dry in the summer, which makes them perfect for growing peppers.

 

It is widely believed that Christopher Columbus brought it back to Spain from the Americas.  There are three varieties of Pimentón. 

• Pimentón Dulce or Sweet Paprika: Round red peppers make this mild, light orange paprika. 
• Pimentón Agridulce or Medium Hot Paprika: Longer, dark red pepper make a medium-hot paprika. 
• Pimentón Picante or Hot Paprika: Made from any of several different types of long red peppers.

 

The one I used today is Pimenton De La Vera. Calidad: Picante, which means it is fairly hot.  Todd likes spicy things. Myself, not so much, which is just as well because I was making these for Todd.

 

I can see where the dish would make for a romantic starter for two, with its bright colour and bold flavour . . . the squeezing of the lemon wedges over top . . .  crusty bread to mop up all the juices.

 

There are two cloves of garlic in it so you do want to be sharing it with your partner if you are doing this as a romantic dinner so that you both smell like garlic, lol.

 

The sauce itself, takes about half an hour to make, but once the sauce is done, it goes rather quickly.

 

The prawns cook in 3 to 4 minutes. Any longer and you risk them turning rubbery.  For a romantic meal you can make the sauce ahead of time and then just reheat and add the raw prawns a few minutes before you want to serve them.

  

As well as garlic, there is onion and a quantity of chopped fresh coriander, very Spanish I would say.  Cilantro is another name for Coriander. If you are not fond of it, and I know many are not  . . .  you could use fresh flat leaf parsley.

Smoky Tomato & Garlic Prawns

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

This was touted as a great starter for a romantic dinner on the Delicious site.  Todd enjoyed it as a delicious main with some brown rice on the side.  This was very quick and easy to make.

ingredients:

• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
• 1 medium brown onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, in tomato juice, undrained (14 1/2 ounces)
• splash of balsamic vinegar
• pinch of sugar
• 125g raw king prawns (1/4 pound)
• handful of fresh coriander, washed and chopped (cilantro)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• lemon wedges to serve
• sliced green chilies to serve (If you like things hot)

instructions:

How to cook Smoky Tomato & Garlic Prawns

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add the onion and cook gently over low heat, for about 10 minutes, until softened but not coloured.  Add the garlic and smoked paprika.  Cook and stir for a further 3 to 4 minutes until very fragrant. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and pinch of sugar.  Bring to a gentle simmer and then cook over low heat, stirring often, until the tomatoes have reduced and the sauce is rich and thick.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.  Stir in the raw prawns.  Stir around in the sauce to coat and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes, just until pink. Stir in the chopped coriander along with a drizzle of olive oil.  Scatter with the sliced chilies (if using) and serve with wedges of lemon to squeeze over top. Crusty bread goes well to mop up all of that delicious sauce.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

Created using The Recipes Generator 

 

 What I really love about their King Prawns from Seafresh is that they are responsibly sourced and quick frozen individually. I can take out as many or as little as I want, which makes them very handy to use and ideal for us as we are a small family.  Also because only Todd eats them, I can take out just enough for him to enjoy without having to thaw out the whole pack.  They are also shelled and de-veined at the source, so, once defrosted, you can just cook them without any messing about. 

Another thing that I love about these is that Todd really feels special when I cook something like this just for him.  That makes me happy! 

A few things about Seafresh:

• Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
• All packages are carefully hand packed.
• Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount. 
• Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
• Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
• Wide variety to choose from. 

Do check them out on their website to find out more.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Note - Although I was gifted with product free of charge for the purposes of review, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange, nor would my integrity allow me to recommend anything if I did not truly like it. Any and all my opinions are my own entirely.

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