Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

Have you tried Mr. Yoshida’s Original Gourmet marinade?  I’m not generally a big Teriyaki fan, but the variation made my Mr. Yoshida won me over.  Haven’t tried it on Beef yet, but it’s made Chicken breasts, thighs, wings and legs juicy and flavorful.  I  usually marinate the Chicken pieces overnight, then place ’em in the Ronco Rotisserie and forget about it, before the timer reminds.  Not much effort is required and the combination always turns out tender and tasty.  We appreciate having both products.  For additional recipes using Mr. Yoshida’s marinades, click here.  Enjoy!

Enter TODAY ONLY to win FREE Chicken from El Pollo Loco for an entire year — Translated it means (52) 2-Piece Meal Certificates.  All you have to do is become a fan of El Pollo Loco on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.  And while you’re there, tell them why you think flame-grilled Chicken is better than oven “grilled” Chicken.  From all entries received on 10/26/09, El Pollo Loco will randomly draw the name of the lucky winner on 10/27/09.  It’s a one day Sweepstakes, which makes for better odds and a short wait for the tasty prize.  Enter now and good luck.

Or you can stand in line at KFC for one FREE piece of their oven-grilled Chicken today only — I’d rather win a years worth of flame-grilled Chicken from EPL without standing in line.  In fairness, I enjoy KFC’s Fried Chicken on occasion and their Apple Turnovers, Wedge Cut Fries and Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, but they can’t compete with EPL’s truly grilled Chicken.

UPDATE 10/27/09:  EPL announces the winner of the free Chicken — Congratulations to Theresa Wilson Goldman.

Don’t these Chicken Thighs look good?  They do (above), but did have an unattractive transition shortly before serving (below).  They were cooked in a Crock Pot skin on, thus don’t come out with the preferred tan.  And since they were in a Crock Pot all day long, they needed to be removed carefully to keep ’em from falling apart.

Before leaving for work, the Chicken Thighs were placed in a Crock Pot with Chicken Broth, Rice Wine Vinegar, Water and S & P.  After arriving home several hours later, all was gently transferred to a baking dish and broiled in the oven.  Once pretty and crisp, the Chicken Thighs were served with Lettuce Leaves and an attempt at Sticky Rice.

The meat just fell off the bone, the state always strived for when preparing boned Chicken.  And it tasted great in the refreshing Lettuce Leaves.  No Sauce was needed, but a little Sweet Chili Sauce was added to our third Taco.  These delicious Lettuce Wraps didn’t require much effort.  As for the Sticky Rice, it’s back to the drawing board. 🙂

After having the most fabulous Chicken Tikka Masala at Chakra Cuisine at the Taste of Newport, I was compelled to recreate its flavor and tender texture of the Chicken.  I searched the Internet and found an informative video about its preparation.  Although I didn’t copy its technique, I learned a bit.  Instead, I opted for a slow cooked version (Murgh Tikka Masala) with most of the same spices.  It turned out good and the Chicken was tender, but it didn’t quite hit the mark.  Not bad for a first attempt, but not the fabulous I was hoping for.  Could it be the lack of Fenugreek (Kasuri Methi)?

As previously reported on Nibbles of Tidbits, I ♥ El Pollo Loco Chicken.  Of all the fast food restaurants I know, EPL’s Chicken can’t be beat.  I’ve tried many times to replicate the flavor at home and still haven’t been close.  There are several copycat recipes on the web, but none appear to be accurate.  Since then, I’ve learned a few grilling tips from El Pollo Loco — Perhaps I’ll give it one more try, until then I’ll continue to buy it.

GRILLING TIPS FROM EL POLLO LOCO

When grilling whole chickens, time and temperature are critical. Using the below technique, it will take about 45-55 minutes to grill a 3 to 3 1/2 pound bird (chicken); a few minutes longer for barbecue chicken.

At El Pollo Loco, whole chickens are first “split” and the wings cut so that the chicken will lay flat on the grill, helping to ensure that the chicken grills evenly. You can do this by cutting the chicken along the middle of the breastbone. Then open the chicken, cavity side down, and press firmly on the thigh joints. To make the wings lie flat, make a cut about a half-inch into the joint at the breast. This allows the wings to be twisted so that they lay flat without detaching the wings. The chicken is then marinated and seasoned with salt and pepper before placing it on the grill. Follow the five steps below to grill perfect chicken every time.

1) Invest in a meat thermometer or “temperature probe.” This is an essential tool for preparing perfectly grilled chicken. To check the internal temperature of chicken, place the thermometer into the meat where the leg and thigh come together, taking care not to touch bone.

2) Always grill chicken over a low to medium flame or charcoal temperature. Experiment with the setting, cooking at the highest temperature possible without flame flare-ups. Such flare-ups will cause the chicken to cook too fast, resulting in chicken that is charred on the outside, yet not fully cooked on the inside. If flare-ups occur, lift the chicken off the grill for a moment and move it to another area of the grill; reduce the flame if necessary.

3) Begin cooking the chicken by placing it on the grill cavity-side down. During grilling, turn the chicken three times. Turn it the first time when the skin begins to lose moisture, and the chicken becomes rigid. Turn it a second time when the juices pool in the cavity. Turn the chicken a third time when the internal temperature reaches approximately 165 degrees. Finish by cooking the chicken, cavity side up, with a higher flame to crisp the skin.

4) For barbecue chicken, baste with your favorite BBQ sauce before and after the last turn. Grill marks that appear as you cook the basted chicken signal that sugars in the sauce are “caramelizing,” producing the most intense flavors.

5) The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees. Remove it from the grill and cut the chicken into individual pieces. Remember– grilling is an art, not a science, so it’s important to practice, practice again, and then practice some more.

Source: El Pollo Loco

Thanks for the grilling instructions EPL — They’re just in time for Labor Day.

Have you tried Potato Chip Baked Chicken?  I’ve been wanting to make it for a long time now — So I reviewed a few recipes and finally made these Potato Chip Baked Chicken Strips.  The process couldn’t be easier.  I just dipped Chicken Strips in melted Butter, rolled all in crushed Potato Chips until well coated, then baked the strips in the oven at 350° for about 40 minutes.  The baking time will depend on the size of YOUR Chicken pieces.

Overall, I thought they were good, but not great as expected.  As shown in the above photos, I experimented using 3 different flavors of Potato Chips, Sour Cream & Onion, Classic and Barbecued — We liked the Chicken Strips with the flavored Potato Chips the best.

Official RECIPES and related TIPS:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1839,152162-251202,00.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2194851_potato-chip-chicken-oven-baked.html

Our office had Pollo Asado Soft Tacos from the Taco Factory today for Cinco De Mayo.  The Chicken is marinated in Lemon Spices and Charbroiled.  It has a very good flavor, but some of the pieces had too much gristle.  Overall, the Tacos were enjoyed by most — 7 out of 8.

Taco Factory DIRECT: http://www.tacofactoryinc.com/

Yesterday Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) offered a FREE New Grilled Chicken Drumstick to ALL (above).  And today El Pollo Loco (EPL) offered the public a FREE Drumstick (below) and Wing.  I was curious to try KFC’s new product so we went for the free Drumstick, and we already knew the taste of EPL’s Drumstick, but paid for this one for true comparison. 

But let’s just get right down to it, there’s no comparison — El Pollo Loco’s genuinely Grilled Chicken is hard to beat.  It’s got a lot of great flavor and it’s cooked on the better grill.  Isn’t it obvious from the photos above?  KFC’s Drumstick wasn’t bad — It was just bland and nothing special whatsoever.  I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way for it, but I would for EPL’s Drumstick. 

This OFFICIAL comparison reminded me how good EPL’s Chicken actually is.  Can another well-known fast food chain just jump in and expect much with just okay?  I think not.  I like Kentucky’s “Fried” Chicken much better than this Drumstick — KFC should stick with its Original Recipe and Extra Crispy, and come up with something better for this CHICKEN WAR.  El Pollo Loco is the WINNER.

Related Links:

http://www.kfc.com/

http://www.elpolloloco.com/

http://fastfood.freedomblogging.com/2009/04/22/kfcs-new-kentucky-grilled-chicken-vs-el-pollo-loco/18537/

Our Holiday meals most often include this amazing Barbecued Chicken made by my Dad.  I’m grateful for this day and so much more.  God Bless us ALL.  The Chicken and its accompanying Sauce  RECIPE was previously posted on Nibbles of Tidbits and is linked below.  It’s all about the Sauce — So simple, yet so good.  The recipe has been in the family for more than 60 years.  Enjoy!

Related Link: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=57

The Chicken Kiev Special at Ikea Restaurant & Cafe exploded when I cut into it.  Yikes, it sure had a lot of the Herbed Butter inside.  The Chicken was tender, but I realized that I’m not a big fan of Chicken Kiev.  It looks like I’ll be heading back towards the Meatballs in the Ikea lunch rotation.

Previous IKEA Restaurant & Cafe Lunches and MORE INFO:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1743
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=2199
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=2431

I live near two “The Flame Broiler” restaurants and finally tried one (off Harbor/Wilson) for the first time.  Here’s the Chicken Veggie Bowl with MAGIC Sauce (a Teriyaki-type variation).  The Chicken flavor was excellent, but next time I’ll request all white meat.  I heard a few others order it while I was eating.  It’s about $1.25 extra.  I like dark meat, but there were too many connectors included in the bowl — It’ll be easier to enjoy the white meat.  The Vegetables were fresh and the Sauce had the perfect sweetness.  I wanna go back and have another.

More Flame Broiler Food & INFO

Flame Broiler DIRECT: http://www.flamebroilerusa.com/

I recently conducted a Mystery Shop for an un-named company — The assignment was to order something TO GO from The Cheesecake Factory at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.  It sounded like a great project to me, so I chose the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta, called it in, then picked it up about 15 minutes later.  And I was very happy to report that the service and food quality were excellent.  I’d have this dish again too.

I love Fashion Island — It’s got some great restaurants and three of many are just steps away from each other.  Actual view pictured above from left to right is California Pizza Kitchen, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and The Cheesecake Factory, where I picked up my lunch.  During the day you can see the Pacific Ocean from the windows of these restaurants.

Related Links:

http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1185

http://www.shopfashionisland.com/

http://www.pfchangs.com/

http://www.cpk.com/

The recipe and Shrimp preparation is linked below.  Unlike the Shrimp, the Chicken is covered with foil while baking, then removed to another pan to broil until browned (approx. 5 minutes) before serving. 

Here I used wings, thighs and legs, since the breasts were used for another recipe.  The Shrimp is only cooked for 20 minutes uncovered, but the Chicken was cooked at a lower temperature, 375° for 55 minutes.  Both recipes made tender, tasty meat.

I just love the flavors in this recipe — They seem to make a fabulous dish out of any meat.  Next time I’ll try it on Beef.  Keep an eye out for that report.

Related Link:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1146

I think Pick Up Stix does a pretty good job.  These pictures are from a pop in at the Westcliff location in Newport Beach, California.  TIP:  Try not to hit it when the nearby High School is releasing students.

Pick Up Stix is featuring Crispy Honey Chicken, Rice and a Salad for $4.99 — It’s in a Coupon Packet I received in the mail, but you don’t need the coupon to get it.  Since it sounded good and I pass by one, I got that Special to go.  I liked the Honey Chicken, but the Salad tasted bagged and was wilted.  I did ask that it be packed on the side, but they overlooked that request.  The Dressing for the Salad isn’t terrific either — I ended up using my home favorite Sesame Dressing.  Overall, I do like Pick Up Stix, but need to be selective with a couple items. 

Related Links:

http://www.pickupstix.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pick_Up_Stix

http://www.feastkitchens.com/products.html

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=35

The Lemon Pepper Boneless Wing Strips at the Wing Stop are yum-ME.  I usually get them TO GO with the Sauce on top, and they are still super crispy when I eat them.  I love that!  And I especially like the Lemon Pepper flavor.  Their Boneless Wings are tender and juicy, as well as crispy.  You can’t ask for more.  It’s nice to enjoy every bite of a so-called “wing.”  So not to wait too long, it’s best to call, fax, or e-mail in your order, if you’re getting it to go.  The Wing Stop in Costa Mesa off Newport Boulevard is fairly small inside, with two extra tables out front.  Enlarge the menu below to get a peek at the various flavors.  So far we can’t pull ourselves away from the Lemon Pepper.

I just chopped a Chicken Breast and mixed it with Cilantro, Green Onions, Mayo and S & P, because that’s what I had on hand.  I toasted a slice of Bread to make a half Sandwich, but ended up eating it open faced on 1/2 the Bread — I guess that’s better anyway.  FYI: I never eat Chicken Salad out. 🙂

The grocery store Rotisserie Chickens used to be a better deal.  This one was $6.99, tiny and too salty.  The larger cooked Chickens were $10.99 today.  I’m glad I have a Rotisserie for next time.  Look for something else, if you can — Although, sadly most food prices are up. 🙁

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=126

http://www.popeilfamilystore.com/rotisseries.html?gclid=CIHc-9L5_pMCFSgtagodgisqVw

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The leftover Buffalo Chicken was great on a Buffalo Salad.  I chopped a few pieces of the Chicken Breast and added it to a freshly prepared Salad with a bit of Ranch Dressing, and a touch of Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce.  It became a tasty Buffalo Salad.

*  The photo was taken prior to the addition of extra Buffalo Sauce.

Related Links:

http://www.franksredhot.com/

http://www.hiddenvalley.com/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=120

On many occasions, I’ve made Buffalo Wings in the oven baked in a large oven bag.  The meat would just fall off the bone, like all meats should do.  I would remove the Chicken Wings from the bag during the last 15 minutes of baking to crisp up the skin, or I would broil them for about 5 minutes. 

I saw that I had a Buffalo Wing Spice Packet on hand.  It contains the powdered “Buffalo” spices and (1) large oven bag, but no Wings.  However, I did have a Whole Chicken, so I used the spice mix and the process on it. 

I coated the Chicken with the seasoning, then baked it in the bag.  And as like the Chicken Wings, the meat fell off the bone.  I removed the Chicken from the bag, brushed it with Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce to add even more kick, and then gave it a quick broil.  It was cooked perfectly.  Those oven bags are so easy and fool proof, but one should definitely crisp up the skin before serving.  It makes the meat look and taste better.

I served it with Carrots, Ranch Dressing and more of Frank’s Sauce, since I didn’t have Celery, nor Blue Cheese Dressing on hand — The traditional accompaniments, when eating Buffalo.  But what I substituted was great together.  I can’t wait to try Snipe ; )

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Six Chicken Thighs marinated in ‘Feast from the East Sesame Dressing’, plus two others marinated in the Pasta Connection’s Chimichurri Sauce.  It’s been previously mentioned that Chicken marinated in this sesame dressing is supurb, but wanted to test something different.  This Cimmichuri Sauce has been great on bread, and an awesome marinade for a Pork Loin, so thought I’d try it on Chicken this time.  For the record, I think it toughened the meat a bit, which wasn’t good.  The two weren’t as juicy as the other six.  All were BBQ’d on a propane grill.

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Today’s Mother’s Day.  Time to enjoy our family meal.  It’s different than what’s typically considered BBQ’d Chicken, BBQ Sauce wise.  The baste and dipping sauce is made of Nucoa Margarine, Apple Cider Vinegar, Garlic Salt and Paprika.  Dad bastes the chicken breasts over mesquite chips.  Mom says Butter won’t do, nor any other Margarine.  They say Nucoa doesn’t flare as much on the BBQ when basting.  The combination definitely makes a great dipping sauce too.  I still love it after all these years. 

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