CHICKEN WONTON TACOS - by Farideh Sadeghin
You know it’s going to be a good time when Lucas Sin shows up. Not only that, but we’re celebrating one of my favorite chain restaurants: Applebee’s.
Now, I know many of you are reading this and frowning, shaking your head and muttering, “Applebee’s? Really, Farideh?”
Yes. Applebee’s.
I also love Sizzler (so much so that I got the word SIZZLER tattooed on my body recently, but that is another story for another time).
There’s something about these sorts of places that will always hold a place in my heart. The food, the vibe…everything screams nostalgia to me. I love going for my birthday, for group hangs, and just for fun.
What’s my order, you ask? I typically always get the appetizer sampler (which consists of the spinach artichoke dip, wings, mozzarella sticks, and chicken quesadillas). Applebee’s has a great happy hour, with half priced appetizers and drink specials.
Lucas and I have spoken of our love for Applebee’s and places like it many times, so when I invited him to come cook with me here, he suggested we tackle one of their famous appetizers, and his favorite: the chicken wonton tacos.
When we shot this, I had been under the impression that this menu item had been discontinued in 2020 BUT I WAS WRONG AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE HAPPY IN MY LIFE.
Ok but back to this video which is super fun and the recipe is delicious and (dare I say it???) BETTER than the one on the menu at Applebee’s. One thing to note: crisping / forming the wontons is not easy! Highly recommend brushing off any excess flour from the wrappers, then brushing them with oil before baking. Also be sure to drape them over a baking dish that has a wide lip (so you can fit lots of chicken and slaw inside). Watch the video, you’ll see (and learn from!) our mistakes.
Speaking of mistakes…I definitely forgot to record the audio on one of the clips, so the sound is not great for around a minute, and then! Lucas went to the bathroom and we muted his mic pack…and never unmuted it when we came back. So you may need to increase the volume for the last 4 minutes or so to better hear him. This is just what happens when you’re the producer / director / audio person / camera operator / culinary producer / video editor, etc. Need more paid subscribers so that I can hire help! (in all seriousness, if you can afford it, I would love your support to make these videos and this space even better!)
BUT GUESS WHAT IT’S STILL A KICK ASS VIDEO AND YOU’RE GONNA LOVE IT.
Also, bonus Long Island Iced Tea recipe down below because Lucas is a monster and the king of LIITs. If you ever see him at a bar or restaurant, be sure to send him one.
Chicken Wonton Tacos Recipe
Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
for the chicken:
8 ounces|225 grams chicken thighs, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons mirin
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
splash of cola, optional
¼ cup|60 ml olive oil
for the slaw and wontons:
16 wonton wrappers
vegetable oil, for brushing
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons tahini
¼ teaspoon peanut butter
⅛ teaspoon chili flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces|170 grams shredded green cabbage
2 ounces thinly sliced radicchio
2 ounces thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped and toasted cashews, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon chopped and toasted peanuts, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds, plus more for serving
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced
lime wedges, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, mirin, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder, sugar, baking soda, and cola, if using. Add the chicken and toss to combine. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
Make the slaw and wontons: Heat the oven to 375°F. Brush the flour off of the wontons wrappers as best you can, then brush some oil on both sides of them. Oil a baking dish that has a wide lip (watch the video to see why this makes a difference!). Drape the wontons over the edge of the baking dish (they can overlap slightly!). Place the baking dish on a baking sheet and bake, rotating halfway through, until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sesame oi, lime juice, honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, olive oil, tahini, peanut butter, and chili flakes and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the chicken: In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high. Add half of the chicken and cook, without touching, until a nice color and crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Stir and move the chicken pieces, flipping them over, and continue cooking until cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.
Assemble the wonton tacos: Toss the remaining slaw ingredients with the dressing. Fill each wonton shell with some chicken and top with the slaw. Sprinkle on some extra sesame seeds and nuts and serve with lime wedges.
Long Island Iced Tea Recipe
Makes 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Black Out Time: immediate
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for garnish
1 ounce gin
1 ounce tequila
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce white rum
½ ounce triple sec
½ cup|125 ml cola
DIRECTIONS
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake the lemon juice, gin tequila, vodka, rum, and triple sec. Pour into a tall glass filled with ice and top with the cola. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
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