(Sweet and (not so) Spicy Breaded Boneless Chicken ‘Wings’)
This isn’t
something that I would cook every day, but it is a fun treat of a meal. I’m not
a chef, I’m a cook. Day-in day-out I prepare meals for hungry mouths. I don’t
do fancy, I do tasty. This entrée is high in flavor and in calories, which is what
most chemo kids need. My family is split on the topic of spiciness. These ‘wings’
can be as spicy as you like by adding more hot sauce or a small, diced hot pepper
into the sauce recipe. Where this recipe really shines is in the breading. Because
it has brown sugar in it, the sweetness brings out the flavor of the hot sauce while
knocking back the heat. Served with a veg, this entrée can be a balanced meal
when your kid’s appetite may not be great. It also reheats well.
Meat
2 lbs. of Chicken Breasts and/or Thighs
Spicy Sauce
2 table spoon Butter
2 table spoons of Hot Sauce
(I use Lewes Road Kill because it’s my son’s
fav, but others work too)
2 teaspoon Smokey Hot Paprika
1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
¼ teaspoon Salt
Slice
chicken into strips or ‘wings’ about two mouthfuls in size. Pat them dry with a
paper towel. In a bowl melt the butter and then add in all the Spicy Sauce ingredients
(I use a cereal bowl for this). Slide the ‘wings’ into a plastic Ziploc bag.
Pour the sauce in after it, and squish it around until all the chicken is
covered.
Allow
the chicken to marinate in the bag somewhere warm (a counter top or table) for
about 40 minutes. After marinating, spread the chicken onto a broiler-safe wire
rack or on a broiler pan. Space the strips so they are not touching and then place
the lot into your broiler. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, and then flip each strip
and broil for another 5-6 minutes. The strips should be cooked through so they
are the palest brown on the outside, contrasting with the darkness of the
marinade. Take them out of the broiler and let them cool.
If you
are cooking this for a future meal (a post-transfusion meal, or back home late from
a treatment) you can let them cool, sling them in a fresh plastic bag, and
plunk them in the refrigerator or freezer. When handling the ‘wings’ I still
treat them as raw, even though they’ve been cooked on the outside. If you want
to eat them the same night, then it’s time to get ready for the breading.
Sweet Breading
2 eggs
2 cups of Breadcrumbs (I use either Blanco or Traditional)
½ cup light Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Wheat Germ
½ teaspoon Salt
In a pan
(I use a 14’’ cast iron skillet, but two rounds in 10’’ skillets would work
well too) with enough oil (corn, canola,
coconut, etc.) to cover the bottom, start heating on high. In one bowl beat the
eggs lightly; in a second bowl mix the dry ingredients. Coat each ‘wing’ with
egg and then do the same with the dry ingredients. Press the crumbs so that
they cover and cling to the ‘wing’. I lay them out on a plate after breading so
I can cook the whole batch at the same time. Once the chicken is ready and the
oil is boiling, slip the chicken into the pan. Cook for about one minute and
then flip each ‘wing’, and then flip again. Keep doing this until the breading is
a deep, dark, golden color and the chicken is white (if you used breast meat),
or caramel (if you used thigh meat). Either way, the ‘wing’ should easily cut with
a fork. Once they get to that point, pull them off the fire and pile the ‘wings’
onto a plate. It’s time for the tasting. I would suggest honey mustard for
dipping, but first try them on their own. You might find they don’t need anything
else. I serve them with Brussels sprouts. Enjoy.
-PG Somerset
PS - If you have food ideas that are rich in flavor and kid friendly please send them along.
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