Anumita tells us how tweaking a few things entirely different snacks might be prepared with the same basic ingredient. Here she tells us how to prepare three chicken snacks, in the weekly column, exclusively for Different Truths.
“I cannot live without chicken,” said my 14 years old son to his brother in college. His brother replied, “I know. You are a lucky dude that mom makes fabulous chicken snacks too.”
Overhearing my kids chatting about my cooking made me feel elated. But, I have a trick. I make a different snack from the same back things. I just give each of the snacks a little twist and they taste entirely different.
Just like changing clothes according to meet our taste or mood, I change the recipe of the same basic ingredient and bring out a new appearance with some added flavour.
Today I would like to share with you three chicken based snacks.
Preparation of the basic component, chicken, is very easy. Actually, this can be made in advance and put away in portions, in the freezer. When you need a quick snack or a filling agent in some other recipe, you can pull out a portion of these and add them to your recipe.
Grilled Chicken Cubes
Ingredients:
Boneless chicken cube or strip
Tandoori Masala
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
Clean the chicken pieces and marinate them with the above ingredients.
Let it sit for half an hour.
Heat up your griddle pan or electric grill.
Place the pieces one by one leaving a little gap between each.
If it is a griddle pan, cook on medium high for 2 mins and then turn. Cook for 3 mins and check if it is cooked inside.
If it is an electric grill, place cubes or strips and press on the cover. Cook for 3 mins and check if it is cooked through.
Serve them hot with chutney or cold as in salads or as wraps.
Note: Chicken strips usually cook faster than cubes, as the cubes are thicker in the cut.
Grilled Chicken Pastry Bundles
Ingredients:
Grilled chicken (quantity required for making the number of pastry bundles.
Pepperidge Farm Dough Puff Pastry (20 squares in a box). You can use any other company.
Optional – Grated parmesans cheese
Optional – one beaten egg for egg wash
Method:
Separate the squares of pastry dough.
Take one or two pieces, according to size, of chicken and place them at the centre of the squares.
If you like cheese add some grated parmesan cheese.
Pinch the four corners over the chicken and pull up the sides and give it a twist.
It should appear like a bundle.
Place all of them on a baking tray.
Heat oven to 420 F and bake for 7 mins.
Check once to see if the bundles need to move around a bit.
Then bake for another 2 mins.
Serve them hot.
Grilled Chicken Pakoda
Ingredients:
Grilled chicken cubes or strips (as much as required)
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1tbsp oil
1 tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp red chili powder
1 cup of water
Oil for frying
Method:
Mix the chickpea flour with the dry ingredients.
Add the spices and oil.
Pour in water little by little and keep stirring the batter.
It should reach a consistency of thick honey.
Heat oil in a deep bottom pan or wok.
Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-high.
Dip piece of grilled chicken in the batter and deep fry until golden brown.
Once done, let them drip on a paper towel to drain off the excess oil.
Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.
My family and friends enjoy the snacks that I serve them. These are some easy ways to use the same ingredient of grilled chicken to make a new snack out of them. I do have some more ideas how to use this chicken. Maybe in some other post, I will share those with you.
Till then, enjoy your snacks.
©Anumita Chatterjee Roy
Photos by the author
#GrilledChicken #DifferentWaysToMakeChicken #ChickenSnacks #Starters #Fusioncooking #Cooking #QuickSnacks #FridayFoodie #DifferentTruths
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