Chicken Kebabs with Sweet Peanut Sauce

After being slightly inspired by this recipe from the Apron Gal, I knew we didn't have any peanut butter, but we decided we could make an even simpler version of a peanut sauce with what we did have at home. And although this recipe may be one of the easiest things to make, that doesn't downgrade its delicious taste one bit. Also, remember here you asked me for simple and easy recipes, and chicken recipes, so here's a combination of the two.

1 1/2 cups Yoshida's Sauce
1/2 cup Peanut Sauce
3-4 chicken breasts
kebab sticks

1. Preheat charcoal, gas or electric grill.
2. Cut chicken breasts into small strips or pieces.
3. Put chicken pieces onto skewers. (Remember not to stuff the skewer to full, because leaving space between the pieces of chicken will allow the chicken to cook quicker and more evenly)
4. Combine Yoshida's Sauce and Peanut Sauce in a small bowl.
5. Slightly coat chicken in sauce with a basting brush.
6. Place chicken kebabs on hot grill.
7. Rotate about 4 times, so all sides cook evenly, basting with sauce each time you rotate.
8. Cook until chicken is white in the middle, or reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.

 

Nate and I both thought this tasted so good. And Nate even went on to say "this tastes like the typical Asian flavor, that you never know what's in it, but you just know its delicious." 

Enjoy!

Sweet Asian Spiced Chicken

 Like I said before, while I'm at work I browse dozens of different recipes, probably daily. And some days Nate even browses the recipes with me, so we can find something that we both think will be delicious for dinner. Earlier this week, we came upon the fine cooking website and slightly adapted this recipe for our dinner. This chicken tasted as good as these pictures look. This is definitely one we'll be having again and again. And I'd highly recommend it to you.

 

2 TBS dark brown sugar
1 TBS hungarian paprika
1 TBS minced garlic 
2 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice (divided)
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1 TBS salt
1 tsp pepper


3 -4 chicken breasts (or whichever piece of the chicken you like most)


1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS honey
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp sesame oil


1. Combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic, 2 tsp 5-spice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Rub the pieces of chicken with spice mixture.
3. Marinate for about 1 hour. (We didn't do this, but we used our vacuum sealer to do a speedy marinate)
4. Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal or gas grill.
5. Combine hoisin, maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of 5 spice.
6. Lightly brush the chicken pieces with sauce mixture and put onto grill.
7. Cook until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes and flip.
8. Flip and rotate the chicken every couple of minutes, to make sure both sides are getting cooked, as well as each of the pieces of chicken are getting cooked evenly.
9. Reapply the sauce mixture throughout the cooking process. (Probably 4 or 5 times)
10. Cook until thermometer reads 165, about 15 minutes.
11. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Copycat of Rumbi's Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

Coconut Rice
2 cup long grain white rice
2 cup water
3/4 can coconut milk
1/2 TBS sugar

1. Put all ingredients in a rice cooker. *
2. Stir.
3. Cook until timer goes off.

*If you don't have a rice cooker combine water, milk, sugar and rice in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 18-20 minutes.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce
3/4 cup  Yoshida's sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
1 tsp.  ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 TBS pinch of brown sugar

1 TBS cornstarch

2 TBS water

1. Combine yoshidas, soy sauce, chili garli sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small sauce pan.

2. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Meanwhile combine cornstarch and water.
4. Reduce sauce to a simmer.

5. Add cornstarch water to sauce slowly, to thicken.

6. Simmer for a couple of minutes.

7. Set aside.

Vegetables and Chicken

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3/4 cup grated carrots
3 celery stalks, washed and sliced
1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

2 chicken breasts

1. Cut each chicken breast in half (so that it will cook faster)

2. Spice chicken breasts slightly with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and onion salt.

3. Grill chicken breasts till thoroughly cooked

4. Meanwhile put vegetable oil and vegetables in a large pan over medium heat.

5. Saute for about 6-7 minutes (or less if you like your vegetables crispy)

6. When chicken is done cooking, cut chicken breasts into small cubed pieces.

7. Top coconut rice with vegetable and chicken.

8. Drizzle with hawaiian teriyaki sauce.

Oh my goodness. So I can't tell you if this tastes exactly like Rumbi's bowl (because we don't eat there that often - only cause prices). But I can tell you that this turned out delicious. I really liked the slight sweetness of the rice against the salty sweet of the sauce. 

I will warn you that it was a little spicy, I didn't mind too much, but Nate would have liked it a little less spicy, so I might cut the amount of the chili garlic sauce next time. But I will definitely be making this again. Yum Yum Yum. I'm hungry now, and I can't wait to eat the leftovers.

chicken lo mein

3 TBS cornstarch
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup teriyaki marinade
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
8 oz wide lo mein noodles (the only noodles I could find are called yokoguri udon -- and worked great)
1 lb chicken tenders (I used 2 chicken breasts)
3 cups broccoli
4 oz sugar snap peas
1 red bell pepper, sliced


1. Make sauce by combining 1 TBS cornstarch, chicken broth, teritaki, sesame oil, garlic and ginger until blended. Set aside.
2. Cook noodles ad directed on package.
3. Cut chicken into 1/4 inch slices.
4. Place chicken and remaining 2 TBS cornstarch in large ziplock bag.
5. Seal and shake until chicken is evenly coated.
6. Heat 1 TBS oil in skillet over medium high heat.
7. Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked thoroughly. Set aside.
8. Heat remaining 1 TBS oil in same skillet.
9. Stir fry broccoli, sugar snap peas, and red pepper about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
10. Stir sauce to reblend and add to skillet.
11. Cook for 30 seconds, until thickened.
12. Stir in chicken and noodles.


This was a pretty easy Asian meal to make, and it was tasty too. It was nice to have the variety of the noodles rather than the typical rice and stir-fry.

Cream Cheese Wontons

 Because we made egg rolls last night, we had lots of egg roll wrappers leftover. Our oil was still hot in the fryer, and we realized we could make even more delicious treats. It may work better with wonton wrappers (only because the size).

cream cheese
wonton wrappers
oil

1. Cut egg roll wrappers in half diaganolly
2. Fill with cream cheese.
3. Fold up wrapper and seal all sides.
4. Fry in oil until wrapper turns a light golden color.

Cream cheese wontons taste good dipped in sweet and sour sauce. We ate them more as a dessert though. 

We also filled the wrappers with peanut butter and nutella (combined). Which was so delicious. Yum yum

Chicken Egg Rolls

1 chicken breast, chopped into tiny pieces

1/4 c. Yoshida's sauce
2 eggs beaten
3-4 green onions, chopped
2 c. shredded cabbage
2 carrots, shredded
1 c. fresh bean sprouts
1/4 c. water
egg roll wrappers
vegetable oil for frying
sweet and sour sauce (optional)

1. Cook chicken in Yoshida's sauce until fully cooked.
2. When cooked, remove from pan and chop into even smaller pieces.
3. Pour beaten egg into a large (lightly oiled) skillet.
4. Cook flat and thin, flipping only once until fully cooked. (like an omelet)
5. Remove from skillet, cook, and chop finely.
6. In the same skillet, cook chopped green onions for about 30 seconds.
7. Add cabbage, carrots and spouts.
8. Pour water over the vegetable mixture.
9. Stir often, until vegetable mixture becomes soft. (if it becomes too dry add more water) (it actually only took a couple minutes for us)
10. Add chicken and egg to mixture.

11. Put about 2 Tbsp of mixture onto each egg roll wrapper (we put more, just make sure you can seal the roll)

12. Roll egg rolls according to package directions.
13. Place egg rolls into heated oil (about 375 degrees) and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown.
14. Remove egg rolls from oil and drain on paper towels or racks.
15. Serve with whatever sauces you like (We used sweet and sour)

These were probably the best egg rolls I've ever had. The yoshidas sauce makes the chicken and vegetables taste so good. And they aren't like normal egg rolls you get at a cheap asian restaurant, with way too much vegetables, and no meat. These were delicious and I would definitely make them again.

Asian Grilled Chicken

Do you see a peanut butter theme yet? I love peanut butter and really feel sorry for those who miss out by not enjoying this delicious treat. One of my favorite things is a scoop of peanut butter out of a freshly opened jar, it is the best.

Asian Grilled Chicken (adapted from Jamie Cooks It Up)

Marinade:

2 t minced garlic
1/2 C rice vinegar
1/2 C Mr. Yoshidas's Marinade & Cooking Sauce Original Gourmet Sweet & Savory
2 t Hoisin sauce
3/4 C brown sugar
2 t sesame oil
1 T sesame seeds
1/2 t ginger
pinch red pepper flakes
1 T peanut butter
1/3 C hot water

12 chicken tenderloins
12 shishkabob skewers (soak them in water before using)

1. Place the peanut butter and the 1/3 C water in the microwave and heat for 1 minute. Stir it until it's smooth and well combined.
2. Add all the ingredients together in a bowl except the chicken and skewers and stir until incorporated.
3. Place the chicken in a pan or freezer gallon ziploc baggie and add the marinade. Cover the pan, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
4. Place chicken on the skewers.
5. Grill the chicken skewers for about 7 minutes for medium heat (I suppose you could just cook the chicken on a George Foreman grill without the skewers). Turn and cook through out.
Enjoy.

You can also make chicken kabobs by cutting the chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces and alternate with onions, peppers, pineapple on the skewers. Cook the same. This is how we ate it and served it to the missionaries - we let every one design their own kabob.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I found this recipe on Jamie Cooks It Up! and fell in love with it. Maybe I thought it was so delicious because it was or because I was starving because I had been fasting since Saturday. It made enough for Craig and I both to have 3 lettuce wraps and leftovers for a another whole meal. (I modified it a little bit)

Asian Lettuce Wraps

6 chicken tenderloins (cut bite size)

1/2 red or green pepper (chopped)

1 to 2 cloves garlic (minced)

3/4 C. carrots (chopped)

1 C. celery (chopped)

1/3 onion (chopped)

1/2 cup whole almonds

1 head butter lettuce (you can use Romain also)

Sauce

1 T peanut butter

2 tsp. hoisin sauce

2 T teryaki sauce (or soy sauce)

1/4 C sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 tsp. rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. sesame oil

pinch red pepper flakes

1. Cook cut up chicken tenderloins in a hot skillet with about 1 T. olive oil. Add a bit of salt and pepper into the pan as well. Cook until the chicken pieces are a nice golden color.

2. While your chicken is cooking, chop up all your veggies so they are about the same size. (I made my about 1/2 inch size)

3. When the chicken is done remove it from the pan and place it on a plate. Add veggies to the pan and cook for about 15 minutes on medium high heat, or until the veggies are crisp tender.

4. Add all of the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and whisk it together until smooth.

5. Add the chicken, sauce and almonds into the skillet with the veggies. Stir everything around until it becomes incorporated. Cook it until everything is heated through, about 2-3 minutes.

6. Eat inside a nice lettuce leaf, with rice on the side. (Dad put the rice in his lettuce leaf with the chicken and veggies, I let my extras drip out of my leaf onto my rice to eat)

YUM