Playing Chopped

Have you ever watched the Food Network show called Chopped?  Every once in awhile I feel like I am playing the game while trying to make supper.  When the cupboards get low and the bank account empty, I am at my most resourceful.  Sometimes the meals are edible and sometimes not so much.  Mike and Lainey seem to like these impromptu dishes, but Moriah is not quite old enough to be so adventurous despite her adoration of the Food Network.

Tonight's meal was my newest version of "Pollo con Fruta" (which means chicken with fruit).  I say newest because I only make this when we have frozen chicken and rice, but little else.  Tonight's version used a bag of frozen chicken breasts and GV brand chicken fried rice.  I pan seared the chicken (cut into strips) with a little chili powder, red pepper flakes, basil, kosher salt, Mrs. Dash Poultry seasoning, and minced onion (just a little).  I then transferred the chicken to a baking sheet in the oven at 325 degrees to finish cooking while I deglazed the pan with about a cup of hot water.  I added grape-cranberry juice, honey, balsamic vinegar (a new ingredient for me) and a bag of dried mixed berries (blueberries, cherries, and cranberries), oh, and one packet of McDonald's sweet and sour sauce.  I let this simmer for about 20 minutes while I made the rice (to which I added about two cups of frozen peas just before serving).  I served this by spooning the sauce over the chicken on the plates.

It was delicious, though a bit spicy.  Next time I will probably leave out the red pepper flakes and substitute Mrs.Dash Southwest Chipotle for the chili powder, if I have it on hand.  In the past I have used quite a bit more sweet and sour sauce instead of the honey.  I have also used sparkling berry juice instead of the grape-cranberry juice, and raisins instead of the mixed dried berries  I had none of those things tonight. I really enjoyed the addition of the balsamic vinegar.  Our WalMart is carrying it now including a GV version that tastes pretty good to me.

I have no idea if anyone else makes a dish like this.  I doubt I have reinvented the wheel.  I just know I like it.

Oh yeah, Lainey wants to try the sauce on her ice cream for dessert.  She is tasting it now.  The verdict is....yummy, according to Lainey.  Now I have to try it.  ......................................................

To be honest, I could barely taste the sauce over the chocolate...........chocolate............ yum.