Rock Recipes new weekly video cooking web series launches with Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken

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I'm very happy to announce the launch of our new online video cooking series in cooperation with CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. We had a lot of fun shooting these videos, even though they were shot on the hottest days of the summer. The lovely Angela Antle of CBC Radio's Weekend AM joins me each week as we prepare one of the most popular recipes from the past 6 years on Rock Recipes.

With almost 2 MILLION hits on this website, the first recipe in our web series is also our most popular since I first started Rock Recipes back in the early Fall days of 2007. This week, the recipe hit another milestone of 200,000 repins on Pinterest, making it our most popular recipe there too. Take a look at what all the delicious fuss is about and join me every Sunday as we feature other popular dishes from Rock Recipes in this continuing series.

Get the full recipe by clicking this link: Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken.

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken

Double Crunch Orange Chicken

Double Crunch Orange Chicken

Our entire family immediately fell in love with this version of our now famous double crunch fried chicken, which has been very, very popular in the honey garlic version previously featured on Rock Recipes. That one has seen hundreds of thousands of hits on the website and I predict this one will be very popular too. 

A very delicious and spicy orange sauce clings to the super crunchy herb and spice infused crust for one incredible taste sensation. We served ours with Chinese noodles that were tossed in the same sauce for a really delicious dinner last night. This is one recipe I know we will make again and again.

The sauce recipe does make enough to serve with rice or noodles but if you don't plan to do that, laf the recipe should be enough for the chicken alone.

• 6  large boneless chicken breasts

 

Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally.

Sift together:

• 2 cup flour
• 4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 2 tsp ground sage
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Make an egg wash by whisking together:
 

• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp water

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the breast into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the meat to get good contact.

Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Orange Sauce 

Begin by adding to a medium saucepan over medium low heat:

• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp peanut oil (or other vegetable oil)

Sauté for a couple of minutes until the garlic is softened but not browned, then add:

• 3 cups orange juice
• finely grated zest of one small orange
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp chili flakes or 2 tsp crushed chili paste ( more or less to taste, use 1/4 of this amount if you don't like spicy sauces)

Simmer together slowly for about 20 minutes or until the volume has reduced by about half. Skim off any film that may come to the surface.

Mix together:

• 1 1/2 to 2 rounded tbsp corn starch
•  1/4 cup water

Pour slowly into the saucepan stirring constantly to thicken the sauce to a glaze-like consistency. You can use a little more or less cornstarch mixture to bring it to the consistency you want. Boil for only another minute and remove from the heat.

Coat the chicken breasts with the sauce before serving. Serve with rice or noodles.

Oven Baked Double Crunch Kung Pao Wings

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Superbowl Game Day Food

Oven Baked Double Crunch Kung Pao Wings

If the small group of friends that I served these outstanding wings to this past weekend is any indication, this is bound to be a very popular recipe. With the sweet, spicy and slightly salty sauce sticking to super crunchy wings it isn't hard to love these finger lickin' good morsels.

I used the same double dip method for getting a good crunchy crust on my fried wings but this time decided to switch up the cooking method by baking them on a lightly oiled baking sheet with a light spray of oil over the surface of the wings before being popped into the oven. A quick flip of the wings about half way through the cooking time was all it took to make these beautifully crunchy and ready for a quick drizzle of the kung pao sauce before serving.A terrific party food or add some fried rice or spicy noodles for a delicious family meal that will get them rushing to the dinner table.

Mix together:

2 cups flour
6 tbsp powdered ginger
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper

Prepare an egg wash of 2 eggs and 4 tbsp cold water whisked together.

Wash, pat dry, trim the tips and cut into sections:

3 pounds chicken wings

Dip the wing pieces into the flour mixture, then into the egg wash. Quickly drop the wings one by one, back for a final time into the flour and spice mix. Drop the coated wings onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Don’t crowd them together closely, they need a little space between them to make them crispy. Bake the wings in a preheated 375 degree F oven for about 30- 35 minutes or until fully cooked at the center.  The wings should also be turned over once about 20 minutes into the cooking time. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the wings you use. Drain on a wire rack or on paper towels for a few minutes before tossing with the Kung Pao Sauce.

Kung Pao Sauce

2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cloves minced garlic

In a small saucepan, sauté the garlic until almost completely cooked. Add:

1 tbsp crushed chile paste or chili flakes (more or less to taste)

Toss the chile paste in the oil and garlic for a few seconds before adding all the following ingredients quickly and all at once.

¼  cup rice wine
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
1/2 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
few drops toasted sesame oil

Simmer together for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Drizzle over the cooked wings and toss together lightly.