Chicken and Donut Bites
December 3, 2018 by Nicole Collins
We worked so hard making yesterday's fancy appie (not really), we're taking it super easy today on Day 3!
The inspiration for today's recipe came from a food truck meal I had towards the end of the summer.
So, the fact that I'm still thinking about that meal should really say something about what we're having today!
Over the summer, my work arranged for food trucks to come set up for about a week and a half while we were waiting for our cafe to open. One of the trucks I was most excited about served chicken and donuts. I'm absolutely obsessed with chicken and waffles, so I knew I was buying lunch the day that truck was there.
They had a couple of different versions and flavors, but I went with fried chicken, cinnamon sugar donuts, and honey drizzle. And let me tell you...it was one of the best things I've ever eaten! The donuts were like funnel cake. The chicken was extra crispy. And the cinnamon sugar added this extra sweetly spiced layer of flavor that really sealed the deal for me.
So today, we're going to simplify things a little bit, ditch the fryer, and use some help from the grocery store.
Today, we're making Chicken and Donut Bites!
If you ask any great party host, you have to have some store bought bites for your guests. It helps to take some of the stress off of you when you're trying to cook a delicious spread. And, it's all about the presentation anyway!
Today's recipe is as easy as placing a chicken nugget on top of a cinnamon sugar donut, sticking a toothpick through the center, and poking a small pipette of syrup in the donut on the side. That's it! That's the end of the recipe!
For the donuts, I chose to use a cinnamon sugar crunch donut. You still get the cinnamon sugar flavor that we want without being covered in a powdery mess. The cinnamon sugar pairing with the chicken is what was most memorable for me from that food truck meal I had, so I really wanted to make sure I didn't lose the integrity of that.
For the nuggets, you could make your own chicken nuggets if you really wanted to, but it's totally not necessary in my opinion. Especially, when there are delicious nuggets out in the world made by Chick Fil A. So, that's what I chose to use for these bites. And even better, you can buy them in advance and reheat them before assembling, so you don't have to shop for them immediately before your party.
To finish off these beauties, we're going to stick little pipettes of maple syrup in the side of these bites, so your guests can drizzle on some luscious maple syrup at their leisure. If you really want to kick these up an extra notch, you can make a spicy maple syrup by adding a chopped chipotle pepper to the party. Check the recipe notes for the how to!
These bites are sweet, salty, sweet; and I think that's what makes me adore them so much. And, let's think beyond the holiday. These would be adorable served as a brunch appetizer!
Let's take a sec to remember what we've already made:
Day 1: Holiday Charcuterie Boxes
Day 2: Honey Goat Cheese Tartlettes
Ok guys...tomorrow, we're breaking out the slow cooker for another super easy appie!
So enjoy, and let's eat!
Chicken and Donuts Bites
Serves: 24 Print
Ingredients:
24 chicken nuggets (I used Chick Fil A nuggets)
24 cinnamon sugar crunch mini donuts (I used Hostess)
1/3 cup maple syrup
Directions:
Place one chicken nugget on top of a mini donut, and secure with a toothpick. Fill pipettes with maple syrup. Place one pipette in the side of the donut. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Recipe notes:
*If you want to kick these up another notch, you can make a spicy maple syrup to drizzle on the donuts! Take the 1/3 cup maple syrup and combine it in a small saucepan with 1 chopped chipotle pepper (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce). Heat over low heat until the maple is warmed and starts to thin out. Strain the solids out of the syrup, then continue with the step of filling the pipettes.
*I really like using Chick Fil A nuggets for these, because they're the perfect size. And, they're totally delicious, of course. You can buy the nuggets hours or even a day in advance. To reheat them, you can throw them in the oven at 375 degrees for about 8-10 mins.
*These are the pipettes I got for drizzling the maple syrup.
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