2 savoury chicken snacks

These simple chicken recipes are great to have on hand when you want to entertain, but are short on time.

Sweet and sour flavours typically come from sugar and vinegar, but this recipe gets a little more oomph from maple syrup. Grilling the wings adds a hint of smoke as well.

Preparation time 20 minutes 

Cooking time 10 min 

Serves 4

• 1 to 1.5 kg (2 to 3 lb) whole chicken wings
• 250 ml (1 c) cup maple syrup
• 150 ml (2/3 c) chili sauce
• 125 g (1/2 c) finely chopped onion
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) Dijon mustard
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 to 2 g (1/4 to 1/2 tsp) crushed red-pepper flakes

1. Cut the chicken wings into three sections, discarding the wing tips.
2. In a large ziplock bag or shallow glass container, combine the syrup, chili sauce, onion, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and red-pepper flakes. Reserve 250 millilitres (one cup) for basting and refrigerate. Add the chicken to the remaining marinade and turn to coat. Seal the bag or cover container. Refrigerate for four hours, turning occasionally.
3. Drain and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken, covered, over medium heat for 12 to 16 minutes, turning occasionally. Brush with the reserved marinade. Grill, uncovered, for eight to 10 minutes, or until the juices run clear, basting and turning several times.

If you prefer, bake the wings in a 190°C (375°F) oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear, basting and turning several times.

Chicken livers and grapes make a fabulous combination. But when you pair them with juniper — the characteristic flavour of gin — the combo jumps to a whole new level. Look for juniper berries in the spice aisle of health food stores and well-stocked supermarkets.

Preparation time 10 minutes 

Cooking time 10 minutes 

Serves 4

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 500 g (1 lb) fresh chicken livers, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 10 juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 30 g (2 tbsp) fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 30 g (2 tbsp) dry sherry
• 175 g (6 oz) small, seedless, green and red grapes
• Salt
• 2 large, thick slices white country-style bread
• 30 g (2 tbsp) chopped flat-leaved parsley

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet. When the pan is very hot, add the chicken livers and toss quickly to sear the surfaces. Cook over high heat, stirring, for two minutes.
2. Add the shallot, garlic, juniper berries, thyme and pepper, to taste, to the pan, then lower the heat and continue cooking for another three to four minutes, stirring to ­prevent burning.
3. Add the sherry and grapes to the pan and add salt, to taste. Cook the chicken livers for another minute, then turn off the heat, cover and keep warm.
4. Toast the bread and cut each slice into four triangles. Spoon the chicken livers onto individual serving plates, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve accompanied with the toast.

To turn this appetizer into a fast pasta sauce, add 175 millilitres (3⁄4 cup) light ­whipping cream or buttermilk with the sherry.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!