Salsa & Mesquite Oven Fried Chicken

By Mariealicerayner @MarieRynr

One of the challenges I enjoy from receiving my Degustabox every month is coming up with unique and delicious ways to use the contents!  My mother always said that was one thing I excelled at!  Taking whatever ingredients were thrown at me and coming up with something delicious!   I think you will agree that this month I came up with something incredibly delicious but first . . . .
 
A little bit about this month's Winter Box!  I do so love getting these boxes.  It always feels a bit like Christmas for me because I never know what exactly is going to arrive.   The only thing I know for sure is that each month it will be exciting and delicious! 
Once a month, each month Degustabox will deliver to your home 10 to 15 new, special or innovative food products for you to try in the comfort of your own home via a subscription service.  A monthly subscription costs £9.99 and there is a delivery fee of £3, for a total of £12.99, and what you receive can be tailored to the types of things that you like and would use.     Here is what was in the November Winter Box .  

 


Cool Dawn Recovery drink is a herbal detox-drink that helps to prevent and cure hangovers.  It presents a complex and unique combination of citrus and liquorice flavours.   Contains no stiumulant ingredients and is not carbonated.   They recommend to have one full cold and shaken can towards the end of the night and another one in the morning if still needed.  RRP £1.49 per unit
(As I don't drink alcohol, this will never be a problem for me, but I do have friends who might find this pretty handy over the holidays.)

Lindor My Melting Moment 20g
Lovingly crafted by the Lindt master chocolatiers, Lindor My Melting Moment allows you to melt away in a moment of pure bliss.  The elegantly wrapped snowflake shape is filled with irrestibly smooth melting Lindor Milk chocolate.   Say no more!  I got four of these and enjoyed every blissful bite!
£0.65 per unit.

Pip Organic
Pip Organic is a family run, London based business that produces an award winning range of pure organic juices and smoothies available in a range of take home, grab and go and children's formats.   Following environmentally sustainable principles and made from 100% organic fruit, all of their drinks are not from concentrate and contain NO added sugars, water, preservatives or additives.  Pip Pip Hooray!  It's nice to be able to give the kids something which is good for them.
£1.50 per unit

Kent's Kitchen
Kent's Kitchen flavor shots are a brilliantly quick and easy way to jazz up diced meat or prawns.  These clever gel shots coat the meat  or prawns whilst cooking and add a delicious taste to enhance meals.  Perfect for wraps, with rice of jacket potatoes, on a salad or even to coat pasta.  Available in five different varieties (Fajita, Barbeque, Hot and Spicy, Garlic and Coriander, and Thai Green)  Delicious!
RRP £1.85

Holy Cow  
Holy Cow authentic Indian curries are made from all natural ingredients, no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.  Gluten free and suitable for vegetarians and coeliacs. (NICE!)
RRP £1.69 per unit

Drink Me Chai
Drink Me Chai's award winning Spiced Chai is the original flavor that was inspired by Amanda Hamilton's travels to India.  A blend of exotic spices, milk and sweetened tea, the product is a just add water or milk for that taste of India in an instant!
This was a gift!  These little packs would make great stocking stuffers.

Branston
Branston's Mediterranean Tomato Chutney. Create the perfect dining experience with two new flavours!  The Caramelized Onion chutney works well with any after dinner cheese and bread, and the distinctive taste goes well with smoked meats, cheddar and biscuits.   Available in store now, the delicious versatile range is set to become an every day staple.
RRP £1.50

Montano
Montano is an elegantly crafted Italian cider made only from the apples grown in the foothills of the Trentino region of Northern Italy.
Nestling in the foothills of the Dolomites, these orchards are the highest in Europe enjoying fresh mountain air and over 300 days of sunshine each year. The result is a golden, elegantly sparkling, fruit driven medium-dry cider with a refreshing, crisp finish. A wine-like bouquet complemented with an effervescent citrus aroma balances the delicate and refined flavor making it perfect with Italian cuisine.
RRP £2.79

Kettle Chips
Back by popular demand, Kettle Chips is reintroducing two of it's most loved seasonings as limited editions for Christmas.  Salsa & Mesquite was one of the original seasonings when the brand was launched in 1988.   It combines tomatoes, chillies, pepers, and the aroma of barbeques.   Stilton and Port is a rich and distinctive flavor which brings together the creamy notes of Stilton cheese and the sweetness of port wine.
RRP £2.19
I received a packet of the Salsa & Mesquite chips and I decided they would be the perfect ingredient to use in this months Degusta Box recipe!  (I forgot to take a photograph of the bag of crisps with the chicken, sorry!)

Who doesn't love fried chicken?  Not me, that's who!  I adore the stuff, and if I can cut down the fat and hassle a tiny bit by oven frying it, so much the better.  I know that any calories saved by deep frying will have been absorbed by the use of  potato chips in the coating, but  . . .  meh!  It's Christmas!

This is sooooo easy to make as well. It's as simple as dipping the chicken in egg and milk and then shaking it in a bag of crush potato chips.   Onto the baking tray  . . .

And in due course you are rewarded with the most delicious oven fried chicken ever!  Of course you can use any flavor of  potato chips you wish, but these Salsa & Mesquite ones added an extra dose of spice and flavor to this delightfully tasty chicken!  It was sooooooooo GOOD!  Tasty!  Tasty!

*Salsa and Mesquite Oven Fried Chicken*Serves 4 to 6Printable Recipe  


Potato crisps/chips make the perfect crispy topping for oven fried chicken. I have used the new Kettle Cooked Salsa and Mesquite potato chips here for a nice and smoky tex mex flavour, but you can use whatever flavor of chips you wish!  They're all decadently gorgeous!  


1 large free range eggs, beaten with 2 TBS milk150g bag of potato chips, crushed (about 2 cups crumbs)8 pieces of chicken thighs/drumsticks
salt and black pepper to taste
cooking spray/mister    


  


Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.  


Place the beaten egg and milk into a bowl and the potato chip crumbs into a bag for shaking.   Roll the chicken pieces in the egg/milk and then shake them in the bag of potato chips to coat.  Place presentation side down on the baking tray.  Spritz with some cooking spray.    Discard any beaten egg mixture and leftover crisp crumbs.  (Alternately, save the remaining crumbs and sprinkle them over the chicken when you flip it over halfway through the baking time.  You must still discard the egg.)Bake for 20 minutes.  Flip them over and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.  

Note:  I did drumsticks and thighs. Breasts would not require the same amount of cooking time.  I would cut it in approximately half the time.  Chicken is done, once again, when the juices run clear.
  

As an added bonus and a thankyou from Degustabox for having been with them for a year I receives as well these gorgeous Gourmet Marshmallows by Baru!   Little chocolate wrapped clouds these signature gourmet marshmallows are created using a carefully developed recipe that includes real honey and ground vanilla pods to create a soft, light . . .  melt in the mouth experience.  Perfectly complimented with a generous coating of luxurious milk or dark Belgian chocolate; ultimately, it's chocolate wrapped heaven!  The bite-sized marshmallow "clouds" are either simply chocolate coated, or flavoured with a delicious, rich sea salt Caramel.   Individually wrapped so you can indulge one at a time, or share.   Available as Dark Chocolate Marshmallows, Milk Chocolate Marshmallows and Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Caramel and available from Waitrose, Harvey Nichols, Ocado and selected department and fine food stores across the country.  RRP £2.99

Can you spell GORGEOUS!  Thanks Degustabox!  

Many thanks to Degustabox for sending me this box. I have to say I really look forward to getting my box each month.   There are always lots of things in it to enjoy and new products to try out.  I highly recommend.  You can also tailor the boxes to your own likes and dislikes by filling in your own Taste Profile.


Do check out the Degustabox web page for more information and details.

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