Asian Nachos

Preparing for New Year's Eve parties, my mind quickly turns to appetizers and finger foods. Last year my daughter made some incredible Chinese dumplings {they since have been routinely made for gatherings of any kinds}; another favorite family finger food is spring rolls. With so many of our favorite foods of oriental decent, I was inspired to change yet another family favorite, nachos, into an Asian dish for a festive appetizer this New Year's Eve. The base of nachos are tortilla chips. For the base of the Asian nachos wonton wrappers are baked until crisp. They then are topped with what you might normally find within a spring roll, like an inside-out spring roll.



When working with wonton wrappers, you must keep them covered with a towel to avoid drying them out. They are not difficult to use unless they become dry; basically they are trash then. The Shanghai style wrappers which I find at the local Asian market in the freezer section have a great texture and are simple to work with. You can also look for wonton or Chinese dumpling wrappers in the produce section of your grocery where you might find bean sprouts.



It only takes a few steps to make the wonton chips. First cut the wonton wrappers in half. Next, dip each half in a mixture of sesame oil and soy sauce. Finally, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 375F.



Once the chips are ready, place them on a serving plate.



Then top the chips with a few handfuls of finely shredded cabbage. A quick trick is to buy the angel hair coleslaw found in the prepackaged salad section in the grocery store.



Next, add stirfried chicken, top with a bit more cabbage and some sliced green onions. Finally drizzle with thinned plum sauce and enjoy!



Asian Nachos
an Alice Creation
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into thin strips
1/3 c soy sauce {recommend reduced sodium}
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger
2-4 stalks fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried
2 c finely shredded cabbage
2 green onions, thinly sliced
plum sauce
2 tbsp water

For Wonton Chips
50 wonton wrappers {highly recommend Shanghai style}
1/4 c sesame oil
1/4 c soy sauce

Place chicken strips in a dish for marinating. Mix 1/3 cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of sesame oil, rice vinegar and ground ginger with a wire whisk; pour over chicken strips. Place stalks of cilantro on top of chicken and marinade. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 1-4 hours.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add marinated chicken and stir fry for about 10 minutes until chicken is completely cooked. Mix 1/4 cup plum sauce and 2 tablespoons of water to combine well. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix 1/4 cup sesame oil and 1/4 cup soy sauce. Cut wonton wrappers in half. Drag each wonton piece through the sesame oil and soy sauce mixture. Scrape excess mixture off by dragging across the side of the bowl. Alternatively you could brush the mixture onto the wonton pieces. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes until golden and crispy.

Cover serving platter with wonton chips. Top with half of the shredded cabbage. Add cooked chicken. Top with remaining cabbage and sliced green onions. Drizzle thinned plum sauce over nachos. Serve with additional plum sauce.