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I have always enjoyed a good chicken sandwich, even more than a burger. This one is very flavorful. The recipe is based upon one found at buzzfeed.
- Marinade ingredients
- 1-1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 6-8 chicken thigh fillets (boneless, skinless thigh meat)
- Dredging ingredients
- 2 crushed chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp powder)
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Other ingredients
- Oil for frying
- Buns
- Sandwich fixin’s of your choice, potentials to include: mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle chips, fresh tomato slices, lettuce, coleslaw, sliced onion, etc.
At least an hour ahead, or overnight, mix the marinade in a plastic bag and drop in the chicken. Let sit under refrigeration until ready to begin the cooking process.
In a pie tin mix together the dredging ingredients. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer or a skillet. I use a skillet with about 1/2″ oil in it.
Remove each chicken piece from the marinade and dredge through the flour mixture until VERY well coated. Keep running it through and pressing the flour so it sticks to the meat. Gently lower the chicken pieces into the oil. Do not crowd the pan. In my wide skillet, I fry three pieces at a time. Let it fry for about four minutes and then turn the chicken over and fry another 4 minutes.
Remove from oil and lay on paper towels to absorb extra oil. Repeat until all the chicken has been cooked.
Make up the sandwiches. Serves 6-8 people.
Notes: The flavor from the bouillon cannot be overstated. It really makes a difference. I like using my homemade dill pickle chips as a condiment. Yeah! I haven’t tried this in Dad’s air fryer yet. Maybe next time I visit. I buy chicken thigh fillets from Costco and you can’t tell how many are in the package until you open them. This was two packages and it probably had ten fillets total. I didn’t run out of either buttermilk marinade or breading. I know in some places the chicken pieces are huge, so that might be a problem.
This recipe is from Ali at Alexandra’s Kitchen. I wish I had Alaska wild blueberries to use in this cake, but store-bought will have to do. It is delicious no matter what kind of blues you use.
- Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- Zest of one large lemon
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (or paste)
- 2 cups flour, divided
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8″ square baking dish (and use parchment paper if you so desire).
Remove a Tbsp. of sugar from a cup of it (use the Tbsp. later). Cream together butter, scant one cup sugar, and lemon zest in a mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in egg and vanilla until well mixed.
In a separate bowl whisk together 1-3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl toss the blueberries with the 1/4 cup remaining flour. Set aside.
Add half the flour/baking powder mixture to the mixer and give it a few turns to incorporate the flour. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until mixed. Stir in remaining flour mixture until just moistened. Pluck the set-aside blueberries out of the flour and, by hand, stir them into the batter. Discard any leftover flour from the blueberries. The batter is very, very thick. Dollop the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top as best you can. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Remove cake from baking dish or serve from the dish. Good morning!
Notes: Ali says you can use different sizes of baking dishes, so you would reduce the cooking time depending upon the dish size. I use an 8″ square glass pan and it takes about 50 minutes to bake through. I always have buttermilk on hand, it has so many uses. If you do not have buttermilk there are ways to create a liquid that forces the correct chemical reaction in the cake as buttermilk. Ali talks about it at her site or you can do a search for “Buttermilk substitutes” for ideas.
I just love this. I could eat it a lot more than I do, but I realize that variety is the spice of life. Just sayin’. It’s really, really good.
- Salad Ingredients
- Lettuce, torn into pieces
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Bacon bits
- Dressing Ingredients
- Mayonnaise
- Barbecue sauce
- Lemon juice
- Onion, very finely diced or shredded
Toss together lettuce, tomatoes, bacon bits in one large bowl or several smaller ones.
In a separate small bowl, mix together 1 part mayonnaise, about 2/3 part barbecue sauce, and a splash of lemon juice (enough to thin the dressing a bit). Stir in onions. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Note: Since I’m making this for only two people, I use about 1/4 cup mayonnaise and about 3 Tbsp. barbecue sauce and 1 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice with 1 Tbsp. or so of the onions. I like to use the SBJ Sauce, but any type of barbecue sauce will do. Yes, of course, I just throw it in until it looks like salad dressing.
Let me start by saying I do not have an air fryer. But my dad does. In another region of the world. When I’m at Dad’s, he cooks the chicken pieces in his air fryer. When I’m home, I fry them. Simple. It’s gluten-free, but you must check your soy sauce and ketchup to be sure it’s in compliance. I’ve made this dish several times now and it’s super yummy. Don’t miss my instructions on making squash bowls below this recipe. Have fun!
- Ingredients
- 1# boneless chicken, breast or thigh meat, cut into apx. 1″ chunks (okay to substitute pork)
- Salt and pepper
- Corn starch
- Oil
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 onion, cut into 1″ chunks
- 1 large bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
- Sliced green onions, optional garnish
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken pieces and then dredge the pieces through corn starch. If you’re using an air fryer, then you won’t need oil in order to cook the chicken. If you’re frying, then you’ll need the oil in a skillet. Use just enough oil to pan-fry the chicken to cook it through. This is not deep-fried.
While the chicken is cooking, stir together in a small bowl: sugar, vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, and ketchup. Set aside.
In a skillet with a little bit of oil, or in the skillet you cooked your chicken in, stir fry the onion and bell pepper until it softens. Stir in the pineapple and let it heat through. Stir in the sauce you set aside. Let it heat through. Stir in the cooked chicken. Let it heat through. Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle with green onion slices, if desired. Serve warm over rice or in squash bowls or however you like it.
NOTES: My sauce has always come out the correct consistency, but if yours is runny for some reason, then make a slurry of corn starch and water, then stir the slurry into the skillet over heat until the consistency is corrected.
Squash Bowls
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bottom and the top off of an acorn squash, just so each side will sit upright on a baking dish after it’s sliced in half. Then slice the squash in half crosswise through the middle. Scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle a bit of olive oil on a baking dish. Rub each squash “bowl” with olive oil and set upright on the baking dish. Sprinkle each “bowl” with salt and pepper. I really like using the Hawaiian Volcano Sea Salt. It’s strong, but so is the squash. It works well. Sprinkle the “bowls” with a little more olive oil. Then, flip the “bowls” over so that the flesh is against the bottom of the dish and it’s skin-side up. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, flip the bowls right side up, and check the flesh with a fork. It should be soft. Serve warm or cold. I usually roast mine in the afternoon and then let them sit, flesh side up, until time to serve with dinner. They fit right into a bowl and we fill them with Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pulled Pork or Chicken a la King or Egg Roll in a Bowl. Any kind of thick sauce should work.
Foods Passion 