Chicken Fruit Sauce refers to any Chicken dish that makes use of particular fruit based sauce as one of the principal ingredients in its preparation. A variety of fruit-based Chicken side dishes are possible, some of which may be prepared using fresh seasonal fruit in exclusive recipes such as the following:-
· Oranges used to make specialty dishes like Chicken L’Orange or
· Chicken in Plum sauce or
· Citrusy lemony Florida-Style Citrus Chicken or
· Chicken with Cranberry Sauce or
· Chicken in Fruit sauce
Baked Chicken L’Orange
In a large bag along with boneless, skinless chicken breast pieces, thinly sliced oranges, orange juice, salt and pepper, rice wine vinegar and honey are added and mixed well together. This marinated chicken is refrigerated overnight for the juices to be drawn in. The chicken is transferred with liquid into a shallow baking tray. It is baked till done and served hot garnished with ginger juliennes and fresh dill or dried thyme.
Nutritive Value
A serving of ~ 240 g provides 260.1 calories, 76 from fat; 4.8 g total fat and 0.9 g saturated fat; cholesterol content of 68.4 mg; sodium 949.4 mg; total carbohydrate content of 16.5 g with 9.5 g sugar and 3.9 g dietary fibre and 31.1 g of protein.
Chicken in Plum Sauce
A fairly simple recipe that requires the chicken pieces of choice (wings/legs/thighs) coated in mixture of canned plum sauce, apple cider or red wine vinegar and soy sauce before baking in pre-heated oven till chicken is tender and done. This could be presented as a main dish with warm steamed veggies and baked potatoes on the side.
Nutritive Value
A serving of ~ 140 g provides 310.1 calories, 106 from fat; 5.8 g total fat and 0.5 g saturated fat; cholesterol content of 48.4 mg; sodium 194.4 mg; total carbohydrate content of 49.5 g with 19.5 g sugar and 4.9 g dietary fibre and 17 g of protein.
Florida-Style Citrus Chicken
This chicken dish is a special summer favourite and combines Florida citrus fruit with Caribbean red pepper to form the backdrop for a delicious chicken dish that can be served on a bed of steamed rice.
In a small bowl, ginger, lemon peel or rind, lime juice, and crushed Caribbean dry red pepper are combined and set aside. Some orange juice may also be added.
Garlic is quickly stir-fried in butter melted in a pan, followed by addition of boneless chicken pieces. Chicken is pan-fried with the garlic before placing fresh orange slices on top of it, covering and cooking for a while. Chicken thus gets cooked in the orange juice. The lime and orange juice mixture is then added towards the end.
While serving, the chicken pieces are placed over a bed of steamed rice, the juices in which chicken was cooked, spooned over it and finished with a garnish of fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Nutritive Value
A serving of ~ 210 g provides 218 calories, 40 from fat; 4.5 g total fat and 2.2 g saturated fat; cholesterol content of 76.0 mg; sodium 102.4 mg; total carbohydrate content of 14.5 g with 3.5 g sugar and 1.4 g dietary fibre and 29.5 g of protein.
Chicken with Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce together with a hint of maple syrup makes for a sweet sauce to dress the grilled chicken breast pieces. These serve as a quick but exquisite main course dish suited for weeknights and other leisure occasions.
Frozen or fresh cranberries are cooked over medium heat in a syrup made with sugar and water. Chicken breast pieces seasoned with salt and fresh ground pepper are cooked over medium heat on both sides until the juices run clear. Maple syrup is stirred into the cranberry mixture and the cooked chicken is served with this fruit sauce.
Nutritive Value
A serving of a chicken breast half with about 3 tablespoons of sauce provides 236 calories, 5 g fat with 1 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 24 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 253 mg sodium and 23 g protein.
Chicken in Spicy Fruit Sauce
In a pan with little heated butter, unsweetened pineapple juice, golden raisins, crushed red pepper, minced garlic cloves are stir fried. Chicken pieces are added, covered and simmered until done. The cooking liquid is boiled till it is reduced. Then strawberry crush is added along with little cornstarch to thicken.
The chicken breast piece is served with the spicy fruit sauce poured over it and garnished with mint leaves and pomegranate kernels.
Nutritive Value
A serving of a chicken breast piece with about 3 tablespoons of sauce provides 216 calories, 6.5 g fat with 0.9 g saturated fat, 73 mg cholesterol, 32 g carbohydrate, 2.1 g fibre, and 18 g protein.
Nutritional Improvement
Use of almond slivers and crushed walnuts to garnish the above Chicken fruit sauce dishes would increase proteins, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, healthy unsaturated fats as well as minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc and certain useful antioxidant phytonutrients.
In general, enzymes present in fruit help tenderize the proteins in chicken and aid in better digestion.