Chicken recipe help

Hi all,

I just received my food service order and instead of chicken breast on the bone - I received boneless chicken tenders. 40 lbs frozen and stuck together! aaauugh.

I was going to make a kind of roasted chicken - like chicken vesuvio - with it but now that won't work. Any suggestions on what I can make with this meat?

It's an employee Christmas party for 30 people at the biz owners home. It is on Friday evening. The rest of the menu includes salad, antipasti, 4 cheese stuffed shells with meatballs, garlic bread, shrimp scampi pomodoro over angel hair, etc. basically Italian.

I wanted the dish to be easy - you know with roasted chicken you just pull out of the oven and serve .... thanks....

 

I also have an event tomorrow evening. It is sort of a 'happy hour' of sorts for businesses in the local 'chamber of commerce'. Usually attended by biz owners and their management and sales 'face' people. It is usually nice appetizers and half the people there are just looking for the bar. We have planned a large cheese/grape/flat-cracker platter, meatballs, toasted ravioli, focaccia with tomato and cheese, veggie tray with array of cold and grilled veggies and dips and a sweet table.

I was thinking I could add some kind of chicken skewer dish onto this menu. I have way too much chicken now and this would be a good way to get rid of some of it. Maybe it could keep me from having to make as many meatballs.

I know it sounds weird but budget doesn't matter - it is kind of a gimme in trade for promotion and so my presentation and food quality are more important than price in this particular instance. I guess time is my only limitation.

About 125 is estimated to attend but there is no way of telling for sure - isn't that fun?

Would you do skewers? If so what would you marinate in - something more special than the usual...

Oh and I won't have a grill - only a broiler, oven and flat top...

 

Thanks phatch. I like that idea. And I will have a grill to use at the house.

Now that I think of it I would rather do skewers for 30 than 100+.

 

We went with the skewers for the chicken. It was still pretty frozen at noon that day, so I figured I was just going to forget about it altogether. But I had one helper who had all her platters ready to go with time to spare so we did the skewers. We did lemon juice, salt pepper, garlic, turmeric. They didn't marinate long, and I don't think she seasoned them well enough. Looking back I could have whipped up a dipping sauce to help with that issue. They were all eaten though! Photos are from my phone so ....

Cheese, crackers, grapes, veggie tray & dips, toasted points, baked goat cheese with marinara, room temp goat cheese with cranberry chutney, pesto & sundried tomato spread.



The chicken skewers



Meatballs & meatballs with gravy



Fried Cauliflower, toasted ravioli



Antipasti grilled veggies, other

 

Thanks all! I think everyone did enjoy it - there was free wine and beer So that always helps. The menu worked out well since I wanted to socialize with other business owners and not fuss over the food at all.

Sounds good - Old ManSam. I will have to try that.

So I used 10 lbs of the 40 for that evening. I used another 10 lbs for an event we had for teens - I made a non-breaded, baked chicken parm and the kids loved it. Nice surprise.

20 lbs still frozen... :\ I'll be planning the next event around using that up!

 

Yeah - busted!  Alton actually. I grew up an Italian from Chicago and denounced toasted ravs very early in my STL experiences. I said what is this crazy appetizer? and Do they fry everything in this town? and Where the heck is the ricotta I so love in my pasta??  hahahaha but 10 years later here I am catering to the crowd because what works in Chicago Italian doesn't necessarily work here. I even say soda instead of pop now. weird......

So I've been reading your posts for years, before I started cooking for paying 'customers'. You have great suggestions and insight. And the local-connection made it even more relevant. Thanks for posting for me.

 

I can't make homemade toasted ravioli. I get it from my food supplier. I believe the brand is Louisa. They are delivered frozen - ready to -go. Just deep fry for a few, sprinkle with parmesan and serve with your best gravy - er red sauce. It is a meat ravioli.

I have seen people make it from scratch on tv but for the volume, it seems overwhelming for this particular appetizer.