Mandarin Chicken Bites

ms_bold's Note:

A very impressive cold appetizer. The color of the oranges and spinach really brighten up a buffet table. My guests loved this appetizer and devoured them all. Adapted slightly from a Creme de Colorado cookbook.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 5 dozen

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 lb fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and stemmed
• 8 cups boiling water
• 2 (16 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

Dip

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 3 tablespoons apricot preserves

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.
2. In a 10-inch skillet, combine chicken cubes, broth, soy sauce and Worcestershire.
3. Heat to boiling over medium heat; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is fork-tender (about 10-15 minutes).
4. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from broth and let cool slightly.
5. Place spinach leaves in a colander.
6. Pour boiling water over leaves.
7. Drain and set aside to cool.
8. Place a cube of chicken at stem end of a spinach leaf and wrap leaf around chicken so that chicken still shows on sides.
9. Secure end of leaf with a wooden pick.
10. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
11. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point one day ahead.) To serve, place one mandarin orange at the end of each wooden pick.
12. Serve with Curry Mayonnaise Dip (recipe follows).
13. Curry Mayonnaise Dip: Blend all ingredients and refrigerate to allow flavors to mature.

Reviews

[Ilysse]

Rather than doing this as an appetizer I made this into a tossed salad and served it for dinner. I really enjoyed this. The dip (dressing in this case) was very good and I used light mayo and sour cream. I didn't blanch the spinach but tossed it raw in a bowl and added arugula to the mix which was really good. I loved this as a salad and will make this again. Its a nice summer meal. Toasted almonds might be a nice addition to the salad as would lo mein noodles and serve with a good bread. I will be using this recipe as posted for my next cocktail party tho. Wonderful recipe, thanks so much for posting it.

[*Pixie*]

I made these for a New Years dinner and really enjoyed them. They look and taste great and the curry dipping sauce really makes them! Even my daughter who generally hates spinach loved them. I think these taste even better at room temperature than cold. I made mine a day in advance and did the dipping sauce just before serving. I didn't have any broth, so I just simmered the chicken cubes in a nonstick pan with the soya sauce and worcestershire sauce, I think this may have left a slightly stonger soya sauce flavour on the chicken(which we like) so I'd probably do it that way again. Thanks for sharing this one, sbsbea.

[didyb]

The sauce is awesome!!! I had a huge challenge with the prep and use of the spinach leaves. After pouring the boiling water on them, draining, and rinsing-- I was left with a big, mushy mess. I had another bag, so tried it again with less than boiling water. Some of the leaves were mushy, some were still too crisp, and some were just right. I used the just right ones and omitted the spinach for 1/2 the platter. If there is a precise method to get just right spinach leaves, I would like to know-- as the dish is yummy and makes a very pretty presentation.