Sweet Chili Lime Chicken Bite Bowls

I'm sorry, but if the word "bites" is in the title, you already know this is going to be an adorable little recipe. How could anyone dislike a chicken bite? It's just too cute.

Sweet Chili Lime Chicken Bite Bowls

Serves: 4

Active Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cups sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. sriracha
• 1/2 tbsp. honey
• Juice of 1/2 of a lime
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch of fresh grated ginger
• White rice for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Add the chicken, egg, salt and pepper to a bowl and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs. Dredge the chicken in batches through the breadcrumbs and add to one half of a baking sheet as you go.
2. Add the broccoli florets to the other half of the baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake the chicken and broccoli for 12 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven and flip the chicken and broccoli. Put back into the oven for another 3-5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine the sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, lime, garlic and ginger. Whisk together to combine and then add to a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat sauce through (about 3-4 minutes.)
5. Once the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is slightly charred, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Coat the chicken with about 1/2 of the sauce and toss to combine. Serve the chicken and broccoli over white rice and top with remaining sauce, if desired.

Vouvray

MY RECOMMENDATION:

Vignobles Lacheteau Vouvray- find it at Trader Joe's

WHY IT WORKS:

• Vouvray wine comes out of the Loire Valley in France. It is made of Chenin Blanc grapes. It can range in style and sweetness level and some Vouvray is even sparkling.
• This particular Vouvray is off dry, meaning that it has a bit of sweetness. It is also extremely high in acid, which balances the sugar and makes this wine very easy to drink.
• This wine has notes of apple, citrus, honey and pear.
• I think that this wine works well with the chili lime chicken because the sweetness in the wine contrasts and balances the spice of the sriracha. The little bit of residual sugar and the acidic zip makes this wine very refreshing, which works well with the sweet chili sauce on the chicken.