Baked Bang Bang Chicken and Sweet Ginger Garlic Green Beans

A few weeks ago Thai Kitchen sent me a few products to try.  One of the products was their Sweet Red Chili Sauce and I knew I had to make Bang Bang Chicken.  If you are a Pinterest user, I am sure you have seen Bang Bang Chicken several times.  What I could gather is it is a combination of red chili sauce and mayo.  Sounds weird but is utterly delicious.  I didn't want to fry the chicken to keep it a little healthier so I used my old stand by baked chicken nuggets recipe and it turned out great! 

I served the chicken over a bed of the Thai Kitchen's Jasmine Rice which I love since it cooks up so quickly!  Along with the Bang Bang Chicken I quickly whipped up some roasted green beans with the Sweet Ginger Garlic seasoning.  These were absolutely delicious as well and took about a minute to prepare.  Let's do it to it. 

Start by cutting two boneless skinless chicken breasts into chunks.

Add the chicken to a bowl and pour in a little buttermilk.

Give it a quick toss and pop it in the fridge for a few hours.  I think you can skip this step however, it does lead to very moist chicken which, let's be honest, dry chicken is gross.

Next you can get your green beans set up.  Cut the ends off and give them a good rinse.

Drizzle a little canola or olive oil over them

Here is the seasoning I was talking about.  Wow, seriously amazing stuff.  I kind of want it on everything.  Just a quick sprinkle on a grilled chicken breast would even be amazing.

For this recipe I just sprinkled a good amount of seasoning on the beans and gave them a toss.

I lined a baking sheet with tin foil because I'm lazy and don't appreciate cleaning things.  Look at all of that seasoning! Set the beans aside for now.

Then get to work on the breading for the chicken.  I added flour, Panko bread crumbs (which to me are essential and add that extra crunch)...

Garlic salt

Paprika

And lots of black pepper

Give it a good stir

Whisk together a few eggs and you are good to go.

Set up your assembly line with the chicken, eggs, breading and cooking sheet (clearly lined with tin foil--ya, I'm lazy) and a cooling rack.  That is essential as it allows the chicken to crisp on all sides.

Start by taking each piece of chicken and adding it to the eggs

Flour mixture

Flip it over and press the mixture onto the chicken so it sticks

Back into the eggs, and into the flour mixture.  That will give you super crunchy chicken.  I like super crunchy chicken, don't you?

Pop them onto the cooling rack.

This is a method I learned from Jessica at How Sweet It Is.  Give each nugget a "spritz" as she says, of cooking spray.  Yes, I understand that it looks like I'm drenching them but you try to take a picture while "spritzing" a chicken nugget left handed.  Just try.  Okay, sorry I blew up.  Pop these little guys in the oven.

Now, to work on the sauce.  It could not be easier.  Add some mayo, I used light mayo.

And the Thai Kitchen Sweet Red Chili Sauce.

Like so.

That's it.

Cook up the rice as well.  Typically I would start this earlier but like I said, the Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice cooks up really fast!

Half way through the cooking process, remove the chicken, give it a quick flip and spritz the bottom that is now the top.  Does that make any sense at all? But you want to make that powder go away so it's super crunchy.

Oh yeah, and pop the green beans in for a bit.  Look at those babies! I could eat a whole pan.

That is it!  Packed with serious flavor yet healthy and delicious! 

Both would make a perfect appetizer for a party

But also come together for a quick and healthy meal!


Baked Bang Bang Chicken

2 bone-less skinless chicken breasts, cuts into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-pupose flour
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 eggs
Non-stick cooking spray
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 Sweet Red Chili Sauce

Add the chicken and buttermilk in a large bowl, cover and place in the fridge for about 2 hours or so.

When the chicken is marinating, combine the flour, Panko, garlic salt, paprika and black pepper on a large plate.  Give it a good stir.

Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil and place a wire cooling rack on top of that.

Set up an assembly line with the chicken, egg then flour mixture at the end.  Take each piece of chicken and coat it in the egg, flour mixture, egg and back in the flour mixture.  Give it a little pat so the breading sticks.  Place the breaded nuggets on the cooling rack and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes.  After that time, remove from the oven, flip the nuggets over and spray again with the cooking spray.  Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, prepare your rice (if serving over rice) and combine the mayo and Sweet Red Chili Sauce.

When the nuggets are cooked, lay on a bed of Jasmine Rice and drizzle with the Bang-Bang Sauce.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: How Sweet It Is


Sweet Ginger Garlic Green Beans

1 bunch of green beans (3 cups or so)
1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Sweet Ginger Garlic Seasoning

Cut the ends of of the beans and wash.  Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the seasoning.

Lay on a tin foil lined baking sheet and bake at 450 for 7-8 minutes.  After that time, give them a good toss and place back in the oven for 7-8 minutes again.

Enjoy!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz


FYI: This sponsorship is brought to you by Foodie Blogroll who we have partnered with for this promotion.  However, the ideas are my own and like always, you can't by my love, baby.

Easy Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I can't believe how long it has taken me to post these babies!  My friend, Meghan, made them for New Year's Eve this year and I'm pretty sure I reminded her no less than 15 times that she needed to email me the recipe ASAP.  I didn't want to leave the party without the handwritten recipe in my hands.  Because I am a super annoying friend, I emailed her a day after and (again) begged for the recipe.  Luckily, Meghan is a very sweet human and sent it right over.  I'm pretty sure she was sick of my pathetic "this is the best thing I have ever tasted!!!!! OMG YUM YUM YUM YUM" shenanigans. 

I say we get down to business and whip up a batch.  I'm hungry for them again. 

Start by chopping up some water chestnuts (my addition because I love a little crunch)

And green onions.

For the sauce, combine Hosin Sauce (you can find this in the grocery store by the soy sauce)

Peanut butter

Miracle Whip (yeah, I know, sounds SUPER weird…just do it.  Trust me)

And a few shakes of red pepper flakes.  That's it!

Cook ground brown turkey until it is no longer pink and add the veggies.  It looks like a lot because I made a double batch then froze half of it..because I am super organized and plan ahead for everything…riiiight.

Once the turkey is fully cooked, add the sauce.  Give it a stir and let it bubble a bit.

Meanwhile, clean your lettuce.  You can use either butter or Boston lettuce.  Heck, you really probably could use Romaine if you are into that sort of thing.

Bubblin….

That's it my friends.

Spoon it into your little lettuce cups and DE-vour.

Easy Asian Lettuce Turkey Wraps

1/2 cup Hosin Sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter.  Crunch or smooth work just fine
1/4 cup Miracle Whip
1/8 teaspoon (or more depending on your taste) red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1/4 cup water chestnuts, chopped
1 head of Boston or Butter Lettuce

Start by preheating a large skillet on medium high heat.  Add the oil and turkey.  Cook until no longer pink.

While the turkey is cooking, combine the Hosin sauce, peanut butter, Miracle Whip and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Once the turkey is cooked, add all but about a tablespoon or so of the green onions and all of the water chestnuts to the pan.  Give it a quick stir.  Pour in the sauce and let it bubble for about 3 minutes or so.

While the meat and sauce are bubbling, throughly wash your lettuce and separate into cups.

After 3 minutes, spoon the meat and sauce mixture onto the lettuce cups.  Top with green onions and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Meghan via Mindy.

Ps. this recipe works very well for parties, just put the meat and sauce mixture in a Slow Cooker.

Teriyaki Meatballs

Do you ever get in one of those "I have no idea what I want to eat and for that matter make for dinner?"  I think we all have.  After the DailyBuzz Food Festival last weekend I was in one of those slumps.  I basically had a million different kinds of food over the past few days so it was hard for me to nail down exactly what I wanted to make.  

I did a little research and stumbled across this recipe.  Oh my word.  I'm so happy I did.  These are some tasty little balls.  That sounds weird. 

Anyway, I made these Teriyaki meatballs and served them over rice but I think you could make them as an appetizer and serve them in the crockpot.  I can't say for sure since I haven't tried it but I'm totally going to.  These are going on our faves list.  

Start with a pound of ground pork.  Um, I love this stuff--Hormel is a Minnesota company so that doesn't hurt either.  :)

Grate in some fresh ginger.  Heavenly.

Crack in an egg.  Yes, I'm aware I need a manicure.  Focus on the food people.

Breadcrumbs

Grate in some garlic as well...I was lazy and didn't feel like chopping.

A little bit of soy sauce

Green onion

And several cracks of black pepper.

Using the tools God made you, smash everything together.

Form into little balls and place in a large skillet on medium high heat.  I like to use my cookie scoop so they are about the same size.  No oil needed here, they have enough moisture to keep them from sticking.

Give them a few flips so they are browned on all sides.  After that is done, cover them and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

While the meatballs are in the oven, work on the sauce.  In a small sauce pan add soy sauce

Brown sugar

Water

Toasted sesame seed oil.  Okay, I know some of you might not have this in your pantry but you totally should.  I use it a ton and it adds so much flavor.  Worth biting the bullet for this one folks.

Rice wine vinegar.  You can use plain white vinegar if you don't have it...unsure if it makes that much of a difference.

Grate some ginger into this as well.  Bring to a simmer.

While the sauce is heating through, add some cornstarch to cold water to make a slurry.

While whisking, stir the slurry into the sauce...it will thicken as it heats through.  Add until you have your desired consistency.  If it gets too thick on you, just thin it out with a little water.

Take the meatballs out of the oven

Pour the sauce over the balls.

Toss the meatballs in the glorious sauce.

Serve over rice.  Batta-bing batta-boom.

Saucy.

Teriyaki Meatballs

For the Meatballs:

1 lb ground pork
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1 egg
1/2 cup Panko (or plain) breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped finely
1/8 teaspoon or 15 cracks of black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, grated

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Add the pork, ginger, egg, bread crumbs, soy sauce, green onions, black pepper and garlic into a large bowl.  Using your hands smash until completely combined.

Form into small balls and add to a large oven proof skillet on medium high heat.  Brown a few of the side of the meatball.  After you have done this, cover with an oven proof lid and place in the oven.  Cook for 20 minutes.

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cold water
2 tablespoons corn starch

Star by adding the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, sesame seed oil, vinegar and ginger into a medium sauce pan on medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.

In a small cup, add the cold water and corn starch.  Stir until combined to create a slurry.

Slowly pour the slurry into the sauce whisking as you go.  This will thicken the sauce as it heats so go slowly.  If you want a thicker sauce add more slurry.  If you get too thick of a sauce add more water.


To serve, remove the meatballs from the oven and carefully pour the sauce over the meatballs.  Toss in the sauce.  Serve the meatballs over rice, garnish with sesame seeds and additional green onions.

Enjoy!

Recipe slightly modified from: Budget Bytes  which is a TOTALLY fab blog  and you should really check it out.  The end.