healthy Archives · Jess in the Kitchen

Honey and Soy Marinated Chicken Bites

Are you ever the person who feels like they are always late to the party, intentional or not? I certainly am. I’m the girl who decides not to read Harry Potter or buy an Instapot simply because it’s what everyone else is doing and I want to be unique…or something. It doesn’t always work in my favor, but we all have our quirks, right? For me, I was late to the party with the air fryer. But friends, I bought one and now I can’t stop using it. And here, I am so excited to share honey and soy marinated chicken bites.

Initially, I had boneless, skinless chicken thighs to cook up. I marinated them and cooked them whole. My family RAVED about them. Unfortunately, I don’t generally have thighs on hand; however, I almost always have chicken breasts on hand. My son gets frustrated with chicken because it can be dry, but he was head over heels for these honey and soy marinated chicken bites. He even requested I bring the air fryer on vacation with us so we could share this recipe with our whole extended family. That didn’t happen, but these will be on our “go to meals” list as the school year gets underway!

YOUR INGREDIENTS⁠

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks⁠
1/4 cup honey ⁠
3 tablespoons soy sauce⁠
1 tablespoon water⁠
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic⁠
2 tablespoons vegetable oil ⁠
1 tablespoon vinegar⁠
1 teaspoon sesame oil ⁠
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger⁠
1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion ⁠
a shake or two of red pepper flakes⁠

Your Steps to Honey and Soy Marinated Chicken Bites

Combine all marinade ingredients in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk together until well blended. Place cubed chicken in a 1 gallon plastic bag. Massage the chicken slightly and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. ⁠

When you are ready to cook chicken, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. ⁠

I served this chicken with jasmine rice (so good!) that was seasoned with some salt and pepper. I also did a quick stir fry in sesame oil of some red onions and snap peas from the garden. Those got a small shake of soy sauce with a little cornstarch to thicken it mixed with minced garlic and ground ginger and red pepper flakes. So good! ⁠

Tools of the Trade

I am telling you, I was slow the the air fryer game, but I absolutely adore mine. I also love a good filet knife for ease in cutting up anything from fish to chicken. These are my favorites!

Looking for other dinner inspiration? Check out my cooking page here!

Honey and Soy Marinated Chicken Bites

A quick eat for weeknight meals: Use your air fryer to cook up some delicious and healthy honey and soy marinated chicken bites!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Rest Time 3

Total Time 3 25

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings people

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks⁠
1/4 cup honey ⁠
3 tablespoons soy sauce⁠
1 tablespoon water⁠
2 tablespoons vegetable oil ⁠
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic⁠
1 tablespoon vinegar⁠
1 teaspoon sesame oil ⁠
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger⁠
1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion ⁠
a shake or two of red pepper flakes⁠

Instructions

Combine all marinade ingredients in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk together until well blended. Place cubed chicken in a 1 gallon plastic bag.
Massage the chicken slightly and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. ⁠
When you are ready to cook chicken, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees.
Cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
⁠Serve with jasmine rice and some quick stir fried vegetables of your choice such as broccoli, red onions, or sugar snap peas.

Keyword air fryer, chicken, chicken breast, marinated chicken

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

August 6, 2021August 4, 2021

JessLeave a comment

Homemade Baked Granola Bars

The internet is full of no bake energy balls, granolas, you name it. And don’t get me wrong, I dig them. I mean, I have my own recipe for energy balls that is dynamite. However, no bake energy balls and granola bars typically need to be refrigerated, and as an active runner, this isn’t always ideal. So of course I set out to create my own homemade baked granola bars. And oh my goodness, these are a delight.

These homemade baked granola bars are full of simple, clean eating ingredients that are likely to be in your pantry if you are a homemade granola kind of friend. They also come together quickly, with a total bake time of under 30 minutes and all your work can be done in the first 8 minutes or so. How great is that? And friends, they pair a little peanut butter and chocolate without being overwhelming. All the winning, am I right? Let’s get baking!

Your Ingredients for Homemade Baked Granola Bars

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup oat flour (store bought, or better yet, just processed in your food processor)
½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, etc)
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup honey
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Your Steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread oats, oat flour, coconut, and nuts on the sheet. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, until just becoming toasted (I sprayed the top of mine with some olive oil cooking spray as well). Remove from the oven and immediately place in a large mixing bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to oatmeal mixture. Stir until well combined. Set aside. Line a 9×12 glass baking dish with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Press the granola mixture into the pan. Bake for 13-18 minutes at 350 degrees, cutting into bars halfway through (A steel scraper/chopper like this guy works great!). If you want them softer, less crunchy, stick with the 13-15 minute range. Dig a crunchier granola bar, shoot for 15-18 minutes.

Once bars are done baking, cut on the lines once more. Allow to cool completely in the pan. Remove by lifting the foil. Break bars apart and store in an airtight container.

Looking for other great breakfast baked goods? Check out my baking page by clicking the button below!

Baking

Homemade Baked Granola Bars

Why eat packaged granola bars when you can make your own homemade baked granola bars! Create your own with items from your pantry!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings bars

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup oat flour store bought or just processed in your food processor
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup chopped nuts
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup honey
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread oats, oat flour, coconut, and nuts on the sheet. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, until just becoming toasted.
Remove from the oven and immediately place in a large mixing bowl.
Add remaining ingredients to oatmeal mixture. Stir until well combined.
Set aside. Line a 9×12 glass baking dish with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Press the granola mixture into the pan. Bake for 13-18 minutes at 350 degrees, cutting into bars halfway through.
For a softer granola bar, bake for 13-15 minutes. For a crunchier granola bar, bake 15-18 minutes.
Once bars are done baking, cut on the lines once more.
Allow to cool completely in the pan. Remove by lifting the foil. Break bars apart and store in an airtight container.

Keyword granola, granola bar, oatmeal, snacks

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

June 24, 2021May 29, 2022

JessLeave a comment

Overnight Oatmeal

I love the holidays. I love the time with family. The food. The fun. It’s all so marvelous. But my body, it gets a little annoyed with me when I over indulge for a number of days a week for a number of weeks. It’s ready for a reset: Overnight oatmeal.

Get past the big family breakfasts and back to the fuel it craves and for me, that’s overnight oatmeal (or some wheat filled cereal when I am too lazy to make another batch…It happens!) So tonight I put together 5-6 servings of overnight oatmeal for myself so I am ready for breakfast through the weekend! It’s the best! PS…When I say I am lazy, it really is out of laziness. Every time I skip making my oatmeal for a few days, I am disappointed with myself when I finally get around to making it. “Seriously, Jess, you couldn’t take 5 minutes to mix this together? Come on…”

But in all seriousness, this is a great recipe that fills you up and has all sorts of options for variations. I like to add sliced bananas or frozen raspberries with vanilla Greek yogurt. It’s perfect and easy. And if you like a hot breakfast, you can pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute there you go!

Your ingredients:

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (I get thick cut ones from our local natural food store. They are divine!)
1/4-1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts or pecans)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more if you love cinnamon)
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (I am sure regular milk would be great too!)

Your Steps to Overnight Oatmeal

In a brownie pan, mix oats, nuts, coconut, and cinnamon. Sprinkle with vanilla and and slowly top with honey. Stir until well-combined. THEN sprinkle with chia seeds. I find if you do this with the honey, they clump together and do weird things that texture wise, I just don’t enjoy. If you forget, it’s not the end of the world, but don’t say I didn’t warn you 🙂 Pour over the almond milk slowly to cover all the services. You can add an additional 1/2 cup if you feel like it isn’t moist enough. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. Enjoy plain or top with your favorite sliced fruit and yogurt. Sprinkling a little granola for texture is great too! I hope you enjoy it like I do! —Jess

Just some walnuts, cinnamon and oatmeal chilling

Quick to create 5-6 servings, overnight oatmeal is full of flavor and texture, is filling, and good for you!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings people

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4-1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut optional
1/2 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract if almond, do 1/2 -1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoon chia seeds
2 cups unsweetened almond milk

Instructions

In a baking dish with a cover, mix oatmeal, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, and vanilla or almond extract.
Top with honey and mix.
Sprinkle oatmeal mixture with chia seeds and mix once more.
Top oatmeal mixture with almond milk, making sure to hit all corners of the dish. Cover and allow to chill overnight.
Serve oatmeal in the morning with Greek yogurt, berries, and granola or extra chopped nuts.