• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
She's Cookin' | food and travel

She's Cookin' | food and travel

culinary travel with a side of heart healthy recipes and libations

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baking + Sweets
    • Breakfast-Brunch
    • Drinks
    • Heart Healthy
    • Main Dish
    • Meatless Monday
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Seafood
    • Sides
    • Soups
    • Veggies
  • Drinks
  • Low Sodium Tips
  • Travel
    • Belize
    • CHINA
      • Beijing
      • Hong Kong
      • Shanghai
    • EUROPE
      • Amsterdam
      • Brussels
      • Cannes
      • Paris
      • Ireland
    • JAPAN
      • Osaka
    • U.S.
      • Central Coast, CA
      • Chicago
      • Eureka Springs, AR
      • Gulf Coast, MS
      • Huntington Beach, CA
      • Idaho
      • Little Saigon, CA
      • Louisville, KY
      • Malibu, CA
      • Napa Valley
      • North Carolina
    • Tours – Food and Farm
    • Travel Guides
  • OC Dining & Events
    • Anaheim
    • Brea
    • Costa Mesa
    • Dana Point
    • Huntington Beach
    • Irvine
    • Laguna Beach
    • Newport Beach
    • Orange
    • Santa Ana
    • Sushi restaurants
    • Tustin
    • Westminster
  • Lifestyle
  • About
    • Let’s Work Together
    • General Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy

It’s Not a Picnic Without Chicken!

May 24 by Priscilla 26 Comments

Share
Tweet
Pin
Yum
Email
Buffer
Reddit
Share

Gourmet picnic food is the theme of this month’s 5 Star Foodie Makeover Cooking Group, and with Memorial Day and the long weekend coming up, I was excited to put my spin on a traditional picnic dish. Although born in Chicago,  I grew up in northwest Arkansas in the middle of chicken country (you might have heard of a company called Tyson’s that is based there), the word picnic and fried chicken are synonymous. Along with fried chicken, a picnic is not complete without slaw, beans, and cornbread or biscuits – or what the heck, both!

Here I’ve taken organic chicken from Coastal Range Organics and mixed dark and white meat, rolled them into what I’m calling Chicken Bites –  sounds better than Chicken Balls 😉 , and more down-home than Chicken Croquettes. These bites are pure chunks of moist chicken that’s been brined in Thomas Keller’s Chicken Brine from Ad Hoc At Home. And no, I didn’t burn the chicken – those dark bits you see are onion confit. To take it over the top, mixing in a bit of Onion Confit adds a depth of flavor that will have you declaring this the best damn chicken this side of the Mason Dixon line – not to mention less messy, which is a big plus if you’re desiring a romantic little picnic with your honey and don’t want to be caught gnawing on a bone or having greasy fingers or face 🙂

Naturally, the slaw couldn’t be your average mayo-based cabbage variety. I really think that people that don’t like slaw just haven’t had anything except for the often soggy, supermarket variety. It’s a shame because slaw can be a creative vehicle for using many different fruits and vegetables in a myriad of creamy or vinegar bases. My sweet and tangy slaw was inspired by the kohlrabi I bought at the farmer’s market and the luscious mangoes that are still in season and included in my CSA deliveries.

Thanks to Natasha of Five Star Foodie and Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks for organizing these challenges and brainstorming inspiring themes each month, click on their sites at the end of the week for a view of everyone’s gourmet picnic dishes. These challenges motivate me to be creative (and give me a much-needed push lately) and have introduced me to a community of talented food bloggers that I’m grateful to be included among. I love seeing their interpretations of each month’s theme,  and so will you!

Chicken Bites with Onion Confit and Sweet & Tangy Apple, Mango Slaw

For the chicken:

1 lb. organic boneless, skinless chicken breast*

1 lb. organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup Onion Confit

Yield: about 16 – 2″ bites

Thomas Keller’s Chicken Brine:

The lemon and herb brine seasons the chicken and helps it stay juicy.

1 gallon water*

2-3 lemons, cut in half

half a head of garlic, peeled, cut cloves in half

10-12 bay leaves

1 bunch cilantro (or parsley)

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch rosemary

1/4 cup honey

1 cup kosher salt

1/8 cup black peppercorns

Heat the water, lemons, and salt over med-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from heat. Add the herbs. Refrigerate until chilled before adding the chicken. Brine for at least 6 hours and no longer than 12.

*Note: I cut the original brine recipe in half since I didn’t need to brine 10 lbs. of chicken. I also used cilantro instead of parsley for a Cali twist.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (Or you may choose to fry the chicken in 2-3 inches of peanut oil heated to 325 degrees in a heavy skillet.)

Remove the chicken from the brine – discard brine. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Chop the chicken, place in a glass bowl. Mix in a 1 cup of buttermilk and ½ cup of the onion confit. Take tablespoonfuls of the meat and form into 2 Inch-size balls. If the meat is not holding together, add more buttermilk. Roll the balls in panko crumbs. Place on a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil, coated generously with canola oil.

Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, until browned, turning once.

Onion Confit

2 sweet onions, sliced

1 cup canola oil

Yield: 1 cup*

Put the onions in a small saucepan and cover with the oil. Simmer onions in oil over low heat, stirring occasionally, until a rich brown color is achieved. (I also added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes as I do to almost everything.) This will take about an hour. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken and slaw.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

* You’ll use about half for the chicken, refrigerate the rest of the onion in the oil in a storage container. It’s fantastic added to pasta, vinaigrettes or served on toasted baguette slices.

 

Sweet & Tangy Kohlrabi, Apple & Mango Slaw

1 cup kohlrabi (about half a kohlrabi), peeled and sliced into matchsticks

1 mango, peeled and cubed

1 apple (I used Gala), sliced into matchsticks

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

¼ cup white balsamic or cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

salt and pepper to taste   |   Yield: 6-8 servings

Combine the kohlrabi, mango and apple in a glass bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, honey, and mint. Toss to coat.

Variations: You can easily substitute jicama or daikon radish for the kohlrabi, pineapple or papaya for the mango, and asian pear for the apple, although I like Gala, Fuji, Jazz or any pink or red-skinned apple for its lively color.

Shown with Almond Herb Drop Biscuits. Just add wine and Enjoy 🙂

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

Related

You Might Also Like:

  • Chicken Curry with a Mango Twist

    With the arrival of spring, I've been jazzing it up in the kitchen with some…

  • Sweet and Spicy Grilled Chicken

    A meal in minutes is what's required when you have family visiting for a big…

  • Rosemary Chicken with Grapes
    Rosemary Chicken with Muscato Grapes

    Most of us are looking for healthy recipes to add to our weekly meal rotation…

Share
Tweet
Pin
Yum
Email
Buffer
Reddit
Share

Category Main Dish| Salads| She's Cookin'| Veggies Tags Apple Mango Slaw| Chicken Bites with Onion Confit| Five Star Makeover

Previous
Queen’s Day Soup
Next
The Capital Grille
logo
Food Advertising by

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tanantha

    May 24 at 3:11 pm

    That looks so good Priscilla! I like the onion confit and fruit slaw. That’s a great idea to brine chicken first. It makes the chicken moist inside. Great job Priscilla!

    Reply
  2. Priscilla

    May 24 at 3:45 pm

    Thanks, Tanantha! Can’t wait to see what you did 🙂

    Reply
  3. Lazaro

    May 24 at 4:42 pm

    Fantastic chicken dish. Love the apple and mango slaw. The chicken looks cooked to perfection. I’d welcome that on my table anytime.

    Be well

    Reply
  4. 5 Star Foodie

    May 24 at 5:32 pm

    Wonderful! I like the combination of white and dark meat in the chicken bites and must be so flavorful with the brine. apple and mango slaw sounds like a perfect accompaniment.

    Reply
  5. rebecca

    May 24 at 7:39 pm

    wow awesome picnic food very gourmet

    Reply
  6. pachecopatty

    May 24 at 7:44 pm

    Looks good to me Priscilla, what’s wrong with chicken balls,lol;-)
    I’m ready for a picnic, now if the weather would just warm up ….

    Reply
  7. Lori Lynn

    May 24 at 8:51 pm

    Hi Priscilla – wow, sounds like a great picnic food, I like the crispy crust – bet they tasted awesome! Terrific pairing with the slaw!
    See you at the picnic!
    LL

    Reply
  8. Faith

    May 25 at 7:35 am

    You’re right, chicken is definitely the perfect picnic food! Love how fun this dish is, Priscilla…and that beautiful crispy coating is calling my name! 😉

    Reply
  9. Magic of Spice

    May 25 at 1:39 pm

    Exceptional picnic fare! The lovely crispness of the chicken bites pared with this slaw is a delight to be sure. Gorgeous dish 🙂

    Reply
  10. Jamie @ Wokintime

    May 25 at 3:16 pm

    Perfect timing! School is ending this week and I plan on taking my kids on a picnic. Mango slaw and drop biscuits look amazing!

    Reply
  11. Victoria

    May 25 at 3:18 pm

    Perfect picnic fare! These are definitely easier to eat than fried chicken on the bone (and more luxurious for sure… mmm onion confit). Very well done 🙂 Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

    Reply
  12. Erin

    May 25 at 6:39 pm

    Anytime you want to go on a picnic, let me know! Your picnic goers fair way better than mine!

    Reply
  13. Marisa

    May 25 at 8:07 pm

    Great dish! Your chicken bites looks so appetizing. I heard that Thomas Keller brine is awesome. I really love the sound of the onion confit, and the slaw is a really refreshing side. So yeah, I like everything! 🙂

    Reply
  14. [email protected]

    May 25 at 8:23 pm

    Can I be invited to this picnic please? Pretty please? This looks and sounds amazing I want all of it. The fried chicken, the mango slaw and the bisquits! YUM!!!!

    Reply
  15. Angie's Recipes

    May 25 at 9:16 pm

    Great chicken bites! I love it!

    Reply
  16. Adora's Box

    May 26 at 10:43 am

    That chicken must be bursting with flavour after brining in that lovely mix. That fruity slaw sounds so delicious, too.

    Reply
  17. Liz

    May 26 at 4:39 pm

    Now that’s my kind of picnic! It all looks fabulous…especially the chicken. Mmmmmm.

    Reply
  18. kita

    May 26 at 6:23 pm

    Id be all over this if it were at my picnic! They sound amazing and that slaw looks to die for.

    Reply
  19. [email protected]

    May 27 at 4:47 pm

    Where’s the picnic at?!? I want a crunch of that crispy chicken! I’ll share, I promise. 😉

    Reply
  20. [email protected]

    May 29 at 4:59 am

    Truly a make over. I remember so many picnics with fried chicken. And, the size is just right and no bones to throw out. Well done entry.

    Reply
  21. Trix

    May 30 at 7:49 am

    I love what you brought – you are totally right about needing fried chicken at a picnic, and this is a really smart makeover. Between you and me, I would totally eat devour them even if they were called chicken calls! ; )

    Reply
  22. Bren

    May 30 at 9:56 am

    i love that brine and slaw. would not mind having picnicked with you!

    Reply
  23. Jessica

    May 31 at 12:41 pm

    I completely agree on the importance of having chicken at a picnic! That brine from Ad Hoc at home sounds amazing. Great dish!

    Reply
  24. [email protected]

    June 4 at 4:38 am

    So many great ideas here… I didn’t know about Keller’s brine… his roast chicken is my favorite (except for the condition of the oven afterward!). Delish looking recipe and the slaw is divine… what a great combo for a super picnic!

    Reply
  25. Daily Spud

    June 5 at 9:39 am

    Love the addition of the onion confit (talk about more-ish!) and the sweet and tangy slaw, a hundred times better than any supermarket variety 🙂

    Reply
  26. Marisa

    January 28 at 9:44 pm

    Love the inspiration behind these meatballs and all of the delicious details!

    Reply

We love hearing from our readers! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Get Adventures by Email

logo
Food Advertisements by

Travel with Me

logo
Food Advertisements by

Top Posts

Low Sodium Homemade Country Biscuits
Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken Breast
Luscious Lemon Meringue Cocktail
Spicy Middle Eastern Roasted Potatoes {Batata Harra}
King Cornbread
10 Naturally Delicious Sodium Substitutes
logo
Food Advertisements by
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Drinks
  • Low Sodium Tips
  • OC Dining & Events
  • Travel
  • About

Footer