Hot and Sweet Orange Glazed Chicken Tenders

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a blissfully simple meal that I occasionally make for the Silver Fox when I'm pressed for time and have to get dinner on the table quickly. It requires a handful of ingredients that I usually have in the pantry, and I keep a package of tenders in the freezer just for those nights when I need a dinner that is fast and easy to prepare. While this is a simple recipe, the chicken is delicious and looks good enough to serve to guests. Pepper jelly is the base of the pan sauce that is used to glaze the chicken and it adds kick and color to what would otherwise be a bland dish. I like to serve these tenders and their sauce with a quick side of rice or couscous. I have an arsenal of thirty minute meals, but this one is one of my favorites. The sauce gets me every time. I hope you'll give it a try. Here's how the chicken is made.

Hot and Sweet Orange Glazed Chicken Tenders...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/4 lbs chicken tenderloins
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons green onions or shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons pepper jelly
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

Directions:
1) Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate and stir with a fork to combine. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
2) Lightly dredge chicken in flour. Working in two batches, add tenderloins to pan and cook until they are light golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3) Lower heat and add onions and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add orange juice and pepper jelly, stirring until jelly melts and mixture is well combined. Stir in red bell pepper.
4) Return chicken to pan, turning pieces several times to coat with sauce. Cover and cook until sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately: Yield: 4 servings.

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Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Spread - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a new take on an old party favorite. Most folks have been at casual affairs where a brick of cream cheese, covered with pepper jelly, is served to guests. Many of us have prepared it for parties of our own and would agree that it is great football food. It's the essence of simplicity and, as such, is a boon for a busy host or hostess. While it's delicious, I do have a problem with its appearance. Once touched, the offering quickly begins to look like the remains of a massacre. Now I probably have a newfangled version of the "princess and the pea" syndrome, but I hate the way it looks, so, I took it upon myself to make something that would hold up better on the table. The ingredients have been only slightly altered and this new version retains the flavor of the old but is prettier for a longer period of time. It is important to note that the proportion of pepper jelly added to the cheese should not be increased. If that measurement is wrong you'll end up with a dip rather than a spread. The cheese will also need some additional heat added to it as it's whipped. While the recipe calls for cream cheese, you can replace one-third of that with chevre if you'd prefer another layer of flavor in the spread. I have also added additional heat to the mix. While I use Sriracha because I like its finished taste, any hot chili sauce sauce can be used. Just remember the pepper jelly adds heat as well, so go at it carefully. Red pepper jelly and chili sauce will give the spread a salmon hue. If you prefer a colorless spread, a plain pepper jelly can be used. Here's how the spread is assembled.

Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Spread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 (10.5-oz.) jar red pepper jelly
12 ounces cream cheese
1 to 2 teaspoons hot chili sauce (i.e. sriracha)

Directions:
1) Place jelly in bowl of a small food processor or blender. Pulse until mixture becomes spreadable. Set aside.
2) Beat cream cheese in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in 1/3 cup pepper jelly and 1 to 2 teaspoons hot chili sauce. Mix well.
3) Turn half of cheese mixture into a small serving bowl. Gently spread 1/3 cup pepper jelly over surface of cheese. Top with remainder of cheese. Spread top with remaining pepper jelly. Serve with rice crackers or another cracker of your choosing.
Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Liptauer Cheese Spread - One Perfect Bite
Roasted Red Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomato Spread - One Perfect Bite
Pumpkin Butter - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.