Recipe: Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken

I was chatting with a friend recently about a Honey Garlic Chicken dish she'd had at a local Chinese restaurant long ago and hasn't been able to find another version since. I found this recipe online and thought I'd give it a try, give her my thoughts and then encourage her to try it herself.

I changed the recipe slightly....here's the original but here's how I changed it:


Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” chunks)
Oil (for deep frying)

Batter:
2 Cups McCormick Beer Batter mix
1 Can of Beer (you can use water or juice or any liquid)


Sauce:
1 ½ tablespoons oil
2 teaspoon ginger (minced)
5 tablespoons garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 tablespoons honey (I used 6 but it was too sweet)
3 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 cup water
2 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed with 3 teaspoon water)
Sesame seeds (for garnish)

Step 1: In a large bowl mix all batter ingredients together until smooth. Add the chicken to the batter tossing to coat.

Step 2: Heat a deep fryer to 350 degrees. Fry chicken bits in patches for 2 minutes or until batter becomes firm. Drain on paper towels.

Step 3: To make the sauce. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in your wok. Add garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add salt, honey, vinegar, and water. Mix well. Combine 3 teaspoon of water with 2 teaspoon of cornstarch. Add to the sauce and Simmer for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Coat chicken with the sauce and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with white rice.

I fried up the chicken (make sure your oil is HOT otherwise the chicken just absorbs the oil and that's gross). I also didn't toss the entire batch of chicken in the sauce but let people drizzle however much they wanted on their own plates (keeps batter from getting soggy).

It turned out pretty good. A little sweet (added too much honey so I've reduced it on the above ingredients).

I'll probably change it up a little again next time but will be trying it again.

My Food Answers

I was asked what my answers would be to my Fellow Foodie Fun questions. So I thought I'd go ahead and post them here. :)

#1 Spinach

1. What food did you once hate (as a child or even more recently) that you have found an appreciate for and now enjoy? The first thing that came to mind was spinach. I hated spinach growing up, but mostly because of HOW my mother would prepare it. She loves it sauteed and wilted with no life left in it and bathed in butter and salt. I remember just swallowing it whole to get it down. Now, however, as an adult I've realized I like FRESH spinach. Spinach salads, on sandwiches, even slightly wilted in pastas. I still can't do the "creamed" spinach my mother loves though.

#2 Eggs Benedict

2. What do you normally order when going out to breakfast/brunch?That's an easy one. Eggs Benedict. I'm a sucker for properly poached eggs and you can bet if Eggs Benedict is on the menu I'll order it.

3. What is your favorite late-night snack? It really depends on if I am craving something sweet or salty? But if it's just a matter of not full from dinner and want a little something it'd either be peanut butter toast or a bowl of cereal.

#4 Pasta

4. What is the one dish you wish you could cook, but haven't yet mastered? I'd love to learn how to make fresh pasta. Right now though I have such a tiny kitchen and no real counter space it's kind of difficult.

5. What is your favorite restaurant? Where is it located and what is your favorite dish on their menu? I'm not sure if I have one ultimate favorite....I have favorites based on where I am/was living. When I lived in San Diego my go-to place was Spread, in North Park, they had a savory french toast that was killer. When I was in school it was Cuca's and their chicken rice burritos; I am still such a fan that when my aunt came up last summer we made her bring some with her. Now, living in Portland, I don't know if I have a "favorite"...I have a couple places...Departure and Ping would be the two if I had to pick (and I've blogged about Ping before).

#5 Ping

6. Who taught you how to cook? My mother (mostly) and both my grandmothers. The women in my family can cook and ever since I could stand on a chair to reach the counters they put a spoon in my hand to help. Best way to learn.

7. What is the worst cooking disaster you've ever caused? I remember once, I was maybe thirteen, I was asked to make jello and didn't put nearly enough water in. The whole thing was maybe an inch think and way gross. As an adult...nothing I would consider a disaster just things that didn't come out right. Like the Honey Cupcakes.

#8 Fish Tacos

8. What did you have for dinner last night? Homemade fish tacos.

9. What restaurant do you want to eat at and haven't? Okay, if we're talking dream meal I'd have to say I'd love to go to the French Laundry and eat anything Thomas Keller put in front of me. ::drooool::

#10 Gorgonzola Fries

10. What is your guilty-pleasure food item? Oh, normally I'd probably say "chocolate" in any shape or form. But the other night my mother and I had dinner at the Portland Seafood Company and we ordered their Gorgonzola Fries...HOLY CRAP! I wanted to LICK. THE. PLATE. Amazing. I've even gone out and bought fries to make my own at home (of course though I forgot the Gorgonzola.)

#11 Dim Sum

11. What food item/dish do you just love that your family/friends can't/won't try? Either sushi or dim sum. When I'm craving sushi I have to go out with coworkers because I can't get my family to eat it at all (although I did find out my sister's boyfriend is a fan, so we're going to find a Japanese restaurant that serves sushi and or teriyaki something for the haters). And then there's dim sum. I've taken my mother once and she hated everything we got - except the sticky rice and fried spring rolls.

#12 & 13 Chocolate Cream Pie

12. Cake or Pie? What kind? I think I'm going to have to go pie....but I like cream pies mostly. Chocolate cream. French silk. My favorite cake is Boston Cream "Pie" haha.

13. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would be your last meal? Probably my grandmother's fried chicken, a side order of biscuits with gravy and a slice of chocolate cream pie for dessert.

Slower Cooker Lime Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest and have got it in the slow cooker right now for dinner tomorrow night.

How Many?

"Portland Magazine" (back in November of last year) had an article Best Restaurants: Portland's 35 greatest meals so of course...being the foodie I am... I wanted to see how many of the 35 I'd gone too. 

I was sorely saddened by how few I'd been too (the ones I have tried are *). Guess I have new restaurants to add to my Portland Bucket List! So here's the list and what I'm most excited to try at each location (click the name of the restaurant to go to their website).

Best New Restaurants:

~ St. Jack (so the two things on the restaurant's menu I'm most excited for are the Salade Lyonnaise - because I'm a sucker for a good poached egg - and the dessert Gingerbread Bavarois. There is apparently also St. Jack Patisserie which looks yummy)

~ Little Bird (I've heard of Little Bird for a while now, and they have been on my list of "Go-Tos" ever since I read about their Duck Confit with brown butter salsify puree..drool)

~ Castagna (I hadn't heard about this place before and to be honest unless I suddenly start making A LOT more money I don't think I'll be making reservations anytime soon...the reason? Prices start at $65.00 However if I were to start making more I'd be all over their Crab with sweet garlic consomme)
 

~ Salt and Straw (I'm excited to eventually try this place. A farm-to-cone ice cream parlor. Flavors like Stumptown Coffee with Cocoa Nibs, Chocolate with Gooey brownies, and Grandma Malek's Almond Brittle with Salted Carmel)

~ Wafu (Now I've never been a poor-college-student-cheap-Ramen eater but I do love noodles and anyplace that specializes in exactly that just warms my heart. I'm all for pork belly and a slow poached egg in my miso broth ramen)

~ Bluehour (Too many to choose from. How about the Duo of Foie Gras? Veal Osso Bucco? Or even the Blue Cheese stuffed Olives, Smoked Onion Rings and their Butcher's Board of smoked meats all found on their Happy Hour menu. Mmm)

To New To Review:

~ Luce (Fig and goat cheese mousse wrapped in ham...oh sweet lord please!!??)

~ The Woodsman Tavern (On their dinner menu I'd love to dive face first into their $75 Grand Seafood Platter....or no...I want a Grand Seafood Platter)

~ Noisette (There really wasn't too much on their printed menu that thrilled me...maybe the scallop. But it's also a restaurant whose menu changes based on availability and season)

~ Oven and Shaker (I love creative pizza toppings and while eggs may be old news I haven't tried it before and am thinking I need to. After all I love a good egg.)

~ Interurban (I couldn't find a menu and there doesn't seem to be a website for this place either. Some Yelp reviews mention a spin on Shepard's pie using boar meat and another mentioned bacon wrapped shrimp. I think I'm going to wait a bit longer before pushing through the lines at this new N Mississippi bar)

48 Hours in P-Town:

~ Gruner (Their lunch menu has a juniper-marinated pork loin with a roasted pear spread that just sounds scrumptious. I love applesauce and pork chops so this just sounds like a more sophisticated version. They also have house-made brauts which I'm all for!).

~ Pok Pok* (FINALLY! One on the list I've been do!! I've actually been to a number of Chef Andy Ricker's restaurants...Pok Pok, Whiskey Soda Lounge and Ping. Pok Pok introduced me to drinking vinegars actually which are a great combination of sweet and sour. I'm always looking to go back and try more.)

~ Le Pigeon (Le Pigeon is the big brother to Little Bird but apparently just as divine. I have to say I feel obligated, if and when I go, to get the Pigeon. How do you go to Le Pigeon and NOT order pigeon?!)

~ Paley's Place (A rabbit ravioli might be interesting. I can't remember if I've ever had rabbit before so I'm going to guess I haven't...haha. Also a Black Pepper Cheesecake is very unique...although I might just want a bite of someone else's)

~ Beast (I think that appealed most to me is their note saying "Substitutions Politely Declined"...well that and the Pear and Hazelnut Brown Butter Crisp)

Asian Adventure:

~ HA & VL (I think of their daily soup specials the Sunday Yellow Flat Noodle Soup sings out to my soup-soul most)

Biwa Burger

~ Biwa (I'm not sure what's wrong but as I write this I can't seem to open their dinner menu; all I can see is their Late Night... Their Biwa Burger, with a kimchi mayo, sounds yummy with a side of kimchi. I love kimchi.Ever since I had homemade stuff from one of my college roommates aunts.)

~ Spring Restaurant (Sadly I hardly ever find myself in Beaverton, suburb of Portland for those of you not in the PNW, but if I am it doesn't sounds like I'd be able to find this place without someone who has been before. I love Korean and would love to give this place a try if I ever find my way.)

Fried pig's ears and vinegar sauce

~ Whiskey Soda Lounge* (Figures the next one on this list I've been to is another of Chef Ricker's. I've only been once and had an amazing selection of shrimp chips, kai saam yang, miang kham, and my favorite the deep fried pig ears called Huu Muu Thawt. This is a place I'll go back time and time again)

The Comforts:

~ Bar Mingo (There are a few things I'd like to try out here. First being their lamb meatballs...mmmm. Or how about any of the chef-hand-made pastas and finish it off with ricotta fritters. Yes please!)

~ Higgins* (What do you know? A restaurant on the list I've been too that isn't part of the Pok Pok family. I had lunch at Higgins the other day and ended up with a pastrami sandwich that was to die for....with homemade pickles!)

~ Laurelhurst Market (I've heard their steaks are to die for and the fact their websites front page as a picture of the different beef parts makes me think they know what they're doing...that and the whole butcher shop extension. I have to saw from all my No Reservations watching I'm very tempted to try Bone Marrow and I think I might be willing to try it from them.)

~ Suzette Creperie (I've been to a few crepe places here in Portland but this hasn't been one of them. I never can decide if I prefer savory or sweet so I thought I'd pick one of each for my "I would try..." here. Savory:Goat Fig Pig - goat cheese, marsala soaked figs and prosciutto always a good combination. Sweet: Normandie - filled with lemon butter, topped with cider-poached apples, cider caramel sauce and crème fraîche ice cream. Sweet Lord!)

~ El Inka Authentic Peruvian Restaurant (This place is actually out in my neck of the woods...actually even further out. While the chickens look amazing the first two items on the menu look super yummy. Papa a la Huancaina and Yuca a la Huancaina - respectively potatoes or yuca in a yellow pepper and cheese sauce.)

Maximal Meat:

~ The Country Cat* (I went to the Country Cat for brunch one weekend after hitting up the nearby Farmer's Market. While the food was really good I hesitate to go back because of how poor the service was. But this blog is about food not people. Since it was later in the morning/early afternoon I went with the Heritage Hamburger but my mother went for the Eggs Benedict. We also ordered a basket of the cinnamon rolls - which were huge! We ended up splitting one and taking the others home. I think I'd like to try them for dinner next; the picture of their fried chicken looks really good.

~ Nostrana (Gnocchi Thursday's here I come! I'm always on the look out for a good gnocchi and sadly they are hard to come by. Hopefully someone else will order the Polpettine Pizze - pork and beef meatballs with provolone, ricotta and peppers)

~ The People's Pig (Portland loves it's Pig, let me tell you. I guess that's the first sign of what a foodie town this is. Apparently - from looking at their website - The People's Pig is a food cart. One where the menu changes daily so they don't put any items on the "menu" tab of their website. I like pork. But I need some hint as to what I'm getting into before I'll try a place.)

~ Clyde's Prime Rib (Obviously since this restaurant made it into Portland Magazine's top 35, they must do something right. Scanning the menu it looks like your basic steak house with too many menu items....steaks, salads, pastas, asian inspired dishes, burgers, sandwiches, etc. The thing that made my heart sink though was breaded onion rings. If it's not beer battered it's not worth ordering).

~ Metrovino (Leave it to Portland to have a restaurant with PBR braised Pork Belly. Haha.They do have a chicken-fried quail and sweet gem lettuce salad with feta and hazelnuts that sounds pretty yummy. As well as a sweet potato and goat cheese ravioli.)

Meat-Free Magnificence:

~ East India Co (Just by being Indian food this place has won my heart. Somosas, currys, pakora, lentil soup....all of it and in large amounts please.

~ Natural Selection (With options both a la carte as well as a four course meal for only 35 dollars this might be a place to try for a special occasion. Picking between Column A and B might be hard. They all look good....as does their cocktail called Pretty Mess - vodka, pomegranate molasses, peach liqueur, fresh lime).

~ Genoa (Sign me up for an order of Cannelloni di cinghiale- delicate handmade pasta stuffed with a wild boar sausage ragu and baked in a light porcini cream garnished with grated bittersweet chocolate There's also the Piccione con fegato- pan roasted squab with seared foie gras, braised heirloom beans, cavalo nero and finished with a drizzle of saba!!)  

~ Blossoming Lotus* (I've been before and while it may be a great place if you're into raw foods, etc it just didn't do much for me. I had the Southwest Bowl when I went. It consisted of brown rice, spicy butternut & black bean chili and steamed greens topped with avocado ranch, roasted red pepper sour cream, scallions and cilantro. Now remember this is RAW food so the "chili" wasn't really chili..I guess that's my biggest issue with this place. I don't like food that pretends to be something different. 

~ Portobello Vegan Trattoria (I think I remember passing by this place before...not 100% sure. Even though I'm not usually a fan of vegan dedicated restaurants I look a look at their brunch menu I think I might want to give it a try. Roasted sweet potato, rootbeer, rum waffle with soy-free earth balance, Kraken rum & maple syrup macerated orchard fruits. Or the chanterelle homefries crispy potatoes, heirloom tomatoes, sauteed shrooms, and parsley pesto.

Hidden Breakfasts: (Portland is BIG on breakfast and brunch. So the fact there are "hidden" breakfasts is awesome...I might have a chance of getting a table and not waiting two hours)

~ Autentica (The first thing that popped out at me was the sope tradicional con chorizo o pollo. A house made sopes with chicken or chorizo, spicy green chile sauce, cream and queso fresco for ONLY FOUR DOLLARS!! On their dinner menu they have a 1/2 chicken marinated in mole sauce that sounds pretty yummy too. I may need to track this place down and soon.)

~ Navarre (Navarre's website is actually a blog and from just a quick scan I couldn't find a regular menu. There were specialty menus - for New Years and Valentine's - but I did find a photo blog entry of breakfasts. Eggs over easy, an omelet or fritata like egg dish, some delectable breads. I think I may need some recommendations about this place before I actually head over.)

~ Tasty n Sons* (This is a place I've only gone once but fell in love with so much I feel like it's my "go-to" place....it's just not near where I live so it's not the most convenient and it's a hot spot now so you tend to wait some for a table. When I did go, it was a good friend of mine with similar tastes in food so the fact that it's served family style was good. We had chocolate potato doughnut with crème anglaise, griddled bacon wrapped date with maple syrup & almonds, Auntie Paula's French Toast with a mixed berry compote & maple syrup whipped cream and then finally the Moroccan Chicken Hash with harissa cream & over easy egg. OMG Soooo good.)

~ Ned Ludd (So their website is down...but I did find them on Facebook, and they advertise themselves as an American Craft Kitchen. The one dish that did stand out was a cinnamon panna cotta with cranberry gelee. The pork fat fried potatoes sound good but also artery clogging.)

~ Eat: An Oyster Bar (I've only ever had an oyster twice. The first time was on a food tour - thank goodness for my coworkers I was with or I would have chewed the thing. The second was over New Years weekend when I went to an amazing Chinese Buffet and they had oysters on the half shell. This place is known for their oysters, so chances are I'd be willing to have one or two. But when I opened their brunch menu the beignets with a bourbon sauce was the first thing to make me salivate. Also, they have a soft shell crab po-boy sandwich that might just need to balance those beignets. This place is definitely more a cajun style restaurant than your average oyster bar.)




So there you have it. I've been to 6 of the 35 best restaurants according to Portland Magazine. Looks like I better get going on trying out, at least a few, more restaurants.

Asian Chicken Salad Wraps

Here's what we made for dinner tonight.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 C cabbage slaw
1 C finely diced cooked chicken breast
12 Bibb/Butter lettuce leaves

Directions:

Cook chicken in 1 tsp sesame oil and minced garlic. 

In a small bowl, combine hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, oil, pepper and garlic in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk

In a medium bowl, mix 2 Tbsp peanuts, slaw and chicken; add sauce and toss well. 

Spoon about 1/3 cup of chicken salad in the center of each lettuce leaf; sprinkle each lettuce wrap with remaining peanuts. Serve immediately. 

Foodie? Prove It

Fried Alligator

A fellow foodie friend posted an app she'd found on facebook. It's a checklist of 100 top foods to eat before you die. Apparently, according to the application, (which we know can be as factual as this weeks tabloids) most people have only tried 20 (or less) of these 100 foods.

I've had 63... Does that mean it's okay to call myself a foodie? :)

Bagel and lox

Abalone
Absinthe
Alligator
Baba Ghanoush
Bagel & Lox
Baklava
BBQ Ribs
Billini
Bird's Nest Soup
Biscuits & Gravy
Black Pudding
Black Truffle
Borscht

Durian (on my patio furniture)

Spring Rolls

Calamari
Carp
Caviar 
Cheese Fondue
Chicken & Waffles
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chile Relleno
Chitlins
Churros
Clam Chowder
Cognac
Crab Cakes
Crickets
Currywurst
Dandelion Wine
Dulce de Leche
Durian
Eel
Eggs Benedict
Fish Tacos
Foie Gras
Fresh Spring Rolls
Fried Catfish
Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Plantain
Frito Pie

All kinds of lobster pieces. Mmmm

Frog Legs
Fugu
Funnel Cake
Gazpacho
Goat
Goat's Milk
Goulash
Gumbo
Haggis
Head Cheese
Heirloom Tomatoes
Honeycomb
Hostess Fruit Pie
Huevos Rancheros
Jerk Chicken
Kangaroo
Key Lime Pie
Kobe Beef
Lassi

Pho. I make this at home even.

Lobster
Mimosa
Moonpie
Morel Mushrooms
Nettle Tea
Octopus
Oxtail Soup
Paella
Paneer
Pastrami on Rye
Pavlova
Phaal
Philly Cheese Steak
Pho

My one and only time trying uni (sea urchin)...far right

Pineapple & Cottage Cheese
Pistachio Ice Cream
Po'Boy
Pocky
Polenta
Prickly Pear
Rabbit Stew
Raw Oysters
Root Beer Float
S'mores
Sauerkraut
Sea Urchin
Shark

First time for spaetzle too. So good.

Snail
Snake
Soft Shell Crab
Som Tam
Spaetzle
Spam
Squirrel
Steak Tartare
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweetbreads
Tom Yum
Umeboshi
Venison
Wasabi Peas
Zucchini flowers

How many have you tried?