Ginger Chicken Bites - A Make Ahead Appetizer

Some foods seem to go together naturally. Ham and cabbage for instance; beans and bacon too. Those are natural pairings, which make complete meals on their own.

Then there are foods that work so well a recipe they can be hard to separate. Tomato and basil are perfect examples, as are fish and dill. Everything though, seems to go with chicken.

Chicken and ginger are particularly toothsome. Not that dry, powdered stuff that goes into gingerbread, but fresh ginger: sharp, tangy, slightly hot, with an undertone of lemon.

Ginger root is sold in most grocery stores. You want to find a piece with a thin, smooth skin. The older ginger is, the heavier the skin, and the more woody it becomes. Look for one that does not have a lot of "knuckles," as that makes it difficult to grate.
Ginger Chicken Bites
You Will Need:

• four boneless chicken breasts or six bone chicken thighs
• a 3 inch long piece of fresh ginger
• four garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder

For Coating:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoon water
• 2 cups Italian flavored breadcrumbs
• Non stick cooking spray

How To Do It:
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl with a cover.
Peel and grate the ginger. Finely chop or press the garlic cloves. Place the garlic, ginger and the rest of the ingredients over the chicken, and give the chicken a few turns so it is well covered with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

This next step may be done the day before, or an hour before serving, depending on if you want to serve them hot or cold. They are equally good either way.

Beat the eggs well with water. Lift the chicken from the marinade, reserving the liquid. Dip into egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs. Do not discard the unused eggs.

Place the chicken bites on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a 350° oven.

Dipping Sauce:
Beat the marinade and the remaining eggs together. In a saucepan over medium low heat, bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Be careful not to let it burn or to let the eggs cook up too fast, or you will have a mess of ginger flavored scrambled eggs. Correct the seasoning if necessary with a little soy sauce.

To serve, either put six or eight chicken bites on a plate with a small cup of sauce, or place them in a pile on a platter and let the guests dig in. If you prefer, you can also serve it with honey mustard or something spicier.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Christine_Szalay-Kudra/414787