Dragonfly Chicken Freezer Meal
I made my own concoction for this freezer meal because I didnt like using Panda Express sauce. I think I like apricot preserves and real pineapple processed instead of store-bought items. Dragonfly Chicken adapted from grill book TGIFridays
I made my own concoction for this freezer meal because I didnt like using Panda Express sauce. I think I like apricot preserves and real pineapple processed instead of store-bought items. Dragonfly Chicken adapted from grill book TGIFridays
- red pepper flakes
- green onions chopped
- 6 – 7 small to medium boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup of pineapple preserves or real pineapple
- 1/4 cup of apricot preserves if using real pineapple inste
- kung pao sauce or items below:
- 1/2 c brwn sugar
- 1/4 c tamari
- 2 t rice wine vinegar
- 1 t chili garlic paste
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- 1 in fresh ginger grated
- 4 gr onions
- 1 t onion powder
- 1 t fresh lime.
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green pepper
- Carbohydrate 18.8628543776368 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.67396437504734 g
- Fiber 5.4470999342414 g
- Protein 8.58932562997539 g
- Saturated Fat 0.117535750005207 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (369g)
- Sodium 3144.57087764439 mg
- Sugar 13.4157544433954 g
- Trans Fat 0.318890625013255 g
- Calories 118 calories
Step-by-step
- Make the sauce and combine with Pineapple Preserves/real pineapple or Apricot Preserves: ½ c brwn sugar, ¼ c tamari, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic paste, cloves garlic, fresh ginger grated, water PRN, gr onions, onion powder, fresh lime.
- Heat until sugar dissolves and store in separate bag/container, if plan to grill.
- Pack chopped veggies in another bag, (they may not last in freezer stored a long time so you may want to skip freezing them: 1 Red Pepper, 1 Green Pepper, Green Onions, chopped.
- Reheating Instructions: If use crock pot- Combine first 4 ingredients in crock pot.
- On the last hour, shred chicken and then add peppers and onions.
- Serve with rice.
- if grilling: marinate chicken in sauce.
- using a foil pan or kabob sticks, grill meat and chopped veggies.
- (It really tastes good this way!)
Fresh ginger does the heaviest lifting in this sweet and savory sauce profile, providing a sharp, fibrous bite that cuts through the dense sweetness of brown sugar and fruit preserves. Grating the ginger on a microplane rasp rather than chopping it ensures the fibers release their volatile oils directly into the liquid without leaving woody bits in the finished glaze. When working with fresh garlic and ginger together, monitor the heat carefully during the initial simmer because high sugar content burns rapidly when brought past a gentle bubble on the stovetop.
A major pitfall when preparing fruit-based glazes for poultry is scorching the exterior before the interior reaches a safe cooking temperature. Keeping the heat at medium-low allows the brown sugar to dissolve completely without caramelizing into bitterness. If opting to grill the chicken rather than slow-cooking it, brush the glaze on during the final five minutes of cooking to prevent the sugars from charring black over direct flames.
Preparing components ahead requires attention to cellular water content in fresh produce. Bell peppers and green onions degrade structurally during prolonged freezing due to ice crystal formation puncturing plant cell walls, which leads to a watery texture upon thawing. Storing the sliced peppers and onions separately from the meat prevents premature cellular breakdown and keeps the vegetables crisp when introduced during the final hour of slow-cooking or just before grilling.
Tamari serves as the primary sodium and umami driver here, offering a smoother depth than standard soy sauce while remaining naturally gluten-free. Whisk the tamari thoroughly with the rice wine vinegar and chili garlic paste off the heat to create a stable emulsion before adding the aromatics. This attention to mechanical mixing guarantees that every piece of chicken absorbs an even distribution of heat-driven spices.
