Chicken feed for Kids

In a recent article I wrote for Bill and Sheila’s Cookbook, in the ‘What do we feed the kids’ section, I gave a few recipes that were tried and tested, not only on our own kids, but friends and families kids as well.

It is now time to expand the range of recipes and I have been doing a little research to find more exiting recipes, not just for kids, but the type that most adults would go for as well. I am starting this chapter of the saga with healthy versions of Macdonald’s type of chicken dishes. However, all the chicken used in these recipes is whole chicken and not preservative filled reconstituted chicken meat laced with MSG and other flavour enhancers.

Each of these dishes can be served alone or with sides of salad, chips, boiled or baked potatoes, sauce dips – your choice of what your kids like best.

Chickens don’t have fingers! I think the name comes from how you eat them. This part of the chicken is the loin, which comes from the breast. The loin has a little yellowish-white tendon at one end that is sometimes tough to chew. You can cut this tendon off after you wash and dry the meat, but I usually leave it on. If you find chicken loin to be a bit too expensive, then just use chicken breast cut into strips.

Chicken Fingers:

• 1 pound(s) chicken tenders (The package might call them “loins”)
• 1 cup(s) flour
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 egg
• Cooking spray

Honey Baby Sauce:
• 1/4 cup(s) honey
• 1/4 cup(s) spicy brown mustard

Directions

1. Preheat the toaster oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the chicken under running water in the colander, and blot it dry with the paper towels. The drying part is important because the coating won’t stick to wet chicken, so don’t skip it.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in one of the shallow dishes. (Since this recipe uses baking powder, you need to measure out the dry ingredients carefully.) Use the fork to mix them together.
3. Use the fork to beat the egg lightly in the other shallow dish. Now the fun part: dredge each piece of chicken first in the flour (shake off any extra), then in the egg, and then back in the flour. Finally, place the chicken on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops of the dredged chicken with oil.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over with the tongs. Lightly spray them with oil, and bake another 5 minutes until golden brown.
5. To make sauce: Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl. If you’re sharing, let each person have their own little bowl of sauce.
6. Let the chicken fingers cool before you dip them in Honey Baby Sauce. Chow down.

Classic Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 cup(s) buttermilk
• 2 tablespoon(s) hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon(s) salt
• 2 chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
• 2 cup(s) flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) black pepper
• 1 teaspoon(s) paprika
• 5 cup(s) vegetable oil , or shortening for frying

Directions

1. In extra-large (2- to 2 1/2-gallon) zip-top plastic bag, combine buttermilk, hot pepper sauce and 1 tsp. salt. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Place bag in bowl; refrigerate chicken for 2 to 24 hours to marinate, turning bag over once.
2. In pie plate or bowl, stir flour, baking powder, pepper, paprika and remaining 2 tsp. salt until well mixed. Remove a few pieces of chicken from buttermilk mixture, shaking off excess liquid. Add chicken to flour mixture, turning to coat well. Place chicken on wire rack set over waxed paper, without letting pieces touch. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces, using a second rack if necessary; let stand 15 minutes to set coating. Discard buttermilk mixture.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 250ºF. Line two large cookie sheets with paper towels. Divide oil between two 12-inch skillets, preferably electric (there should be about 1/2 inch of oil in each skillet) and heat over medium heat until temperature reaches 360ºF on a deep-fry thermometer.
4. To each skillet, add 4 pieces of chicken, skin side down, being careful not to crowd pieces. Cover skillets and cook until chicken is light golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn pieces over and cook, covered (reducing heat to medium-low, if necessary, to a temperature of 300ºF), 8 to 10 minutes longer for white meat, and 13 to 15 minutes longer for dark meat, turning pieces every 4 or 5 minutes. Chicken is done when well browned on all sides and juices run clear when thickest part is pierced with the tip of a knife. Transfer chicken to lined cookie sheets to drain. Keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Picnic Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
• 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon(s) hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 2 3/4 pound(s) chicken legs, skin removed, fat trimmed
• 1/2 cup(s) whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoon(s) sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika
• 1 teaspoon(s) dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Whisk buttermilk, mustard, garlic and hot sauce in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour or for up to 8 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
3. Whisk flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray chicken pieces with cooking spray.
4. Bake the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the centre, 40 to 50 minutes.

Super Crunchy Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup(s) fat-free buttermilk
• 1 large egg white
• 2 teaspoon(s) hot red pepper sauce
• 4 (6 ounces) chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
• 1 cup(s) prepared cornflake cereal , crushed finely
• 2 teaspoon(s) paprika
• 1 teaspoon(s) dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon(s) garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• Olive oil cooking spray

Directions

1. In medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg white, and hot sauce until blended; add chicken pieces and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Combine cornflake crumbs, paprika, thyme, garlic powder, and salt in a shallow pie plate or bowl.
3. Lift chicken pieces, one at a time, from buttermilk mixture and coat in seasoned crumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray crumb coating with cooking spray.
4. Bake 16 to 18 minutes, until browned on the outside, chicken is no longer pink in thickest parts, and crumb coating is crusty.

Gingery Chicken Bites

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon(s) dry white wine, may substitute apple juice
• 1 tablespoon(s) (finely minced) fresh ginger, or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 2 whole(s) (boneless, skinless) chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup(s) flour
• 1/4 cup(s) cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• vegetable oil , for deep frying

Directions

1. In medium bowl, mix together wine, ginger and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
2. In large bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and 3/4 cup cold water. Stir marinated chicken into batter.
3. Pour 2 inches of oil into deep pan and heat over medium heat until temperature reaches 360-degree F on a deep-fry thermometer. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and cook until crisp and brown, about 3 minutes per side. Place on paper towels to drain. Serve hot or cold.

Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders with Five-Spice BBQ Sauce

Tender and oven-fried, these chicken tenders are jazzed up with sesame seeds and Chinese five-spice powder, an indispensable blend of seasonings that showcases the five basic flavours of Chinese cuisine — sweet, sour, bitter, savoury, and salty.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup(s) panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
• 2 tablespoon(s) sesame seeds
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon(s) Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 pound(s) chicken-breast tenders
• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup(s) ketchup
• 1 tablespoon(s) brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In 10-inch skillet, toast bread crumbs and sesame seeds over high heat about 5 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Transfer crumb mixture to plate.
2. In medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix egg white, 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder, and salt until foamy. Dip tenders in egg-white mixture, then in crumb mixture to coat. Place tenders on cookie sheet. Bake tenders 13 to 15 minutes or until they lose their pink colour throughout. Do not turn tenders over.
3. Meanwhile, in same skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until soft and lightly browned. Remove skillet from heat; stir in ketchup, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining five-spice powder. Pour sauce into small bowl; serve with tenders.
Recipes for kids with Bill & Sheila
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