Chili's Boneless Shanghai Wings

By barbaran

Menu Description: "Crispy breaded chicken breast topped with sweet and spicy ginger-citrus sauce. Served with spicy-cool wasabi-ranch dressing for dipping."

So you're into boneless wings but you need a break from the traditional cayenne flavor of the Buffalo style. If fresh ginger-laced sweet-and-sour sauce sounds seducing, here is a variation worth snacking on. Along with the secret sauce recipe is an easy way to fabricate a carbon copy of Chili's great wasabi-ranch dressing simply by adding a few ingredients to Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Ive even suggested a drop of green food coloring to give the dressing the exact same green tint of the original. The wasabi powder wont really add much color, so this is the trick. By the way, you can find the dry, powdered form of wasabi horseradish in the supermarket aisle with the other Asian foods.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch bottled salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or whole milk)
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered wasabi
• 1 drop green food coloring
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets
• 6 to 10 cups vegetable or canola oil

Preparation

Step 1

So you're into boneless wings but you need a break from the traditional cayenne flavor of the Buffalo style. If fresh ginger-laced sweet-and-sour sauce sounds seducing, here is a variation worth snacking on. Along with the secret sauce recipe is an easy way to fabricate a carbon copy of Chili's great wasabi-ranch dressing simply by adding a few ingredients to Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Ive even suggested a drop of green food coloring to give the dressing the exact same green tint of the original. The wasabi powder wont really add much color, so this is the trick. By the way, you can find the dry, powdered form of wasabi horseradish in the supermarket aisle with the other Asian foods.

1. Combine flour, salt, peppers and paprika in a medium bowl.

2. In another small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.

3. Slice each chicken breast into 6 pieces. Preheat 6 to 10 cups of oil (use the amount required by your fryer) in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F.

4. One or two at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the breading blend; then repeat the process so that each piece of chicken is double-coated.

6. As the chicken is resting, make the ginger-citrus sauce by dissolving the corn starch in the water. Pour the water into a medium saucepan along with the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. When the sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick. Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool a bit.

7. Make the wasabi-ranch dressing while your ginger-citrus sauce is simmering. Simply whisk together the ranch dressing, buttermilk, prepared horseradish, powdered wasabi, and green food coloring in a small bowl. Cover and chill this until the wings are done.

10. When all the chicken is fried, place the pieces into a covered container such as a large jar with a lid. Pour the ginger-citrus sauce over the chicken in the container, cover it up, and then gently shake everything around until each piece of chicken is coated with sauce. Pour the chicken onto a plate and serve the dish with wasabi-ranch dressing on the side.