Yellow Corn Tostitos and Chicken 'with a Bite' Recipe

Today, as part of the series I’m doing this week about Frito-Lay’s chefs and their favorite snack recipes, I’d like you to meet Marc Valiani, Research Chef at Frito-Lay, and share one of his favorite recipes –- Yellow Corn Tostitos and Chicken “with a bite.”  

Marc and I have one big thing in common -- we both stumbled into our careers through a series of coincidences versus being two of those lucky people who identify and start pursuing their passion early in life.

It took me a while to finally land my career in Marketing, as I first pursued journalism and then law.  While working as a lawyer at Frito-Lay, I was introduced to the marketing practice and quickly realized how much that career appealed to me.  I was fortunate to have Leo Kiely, former head of Sales and Marketing at Frito-Lay, as a mentor who gave me the chance to move into Marketing. 

Marc (pictured above) had his own unique journey to become an expert chef.  When he was in high school, his life's ambition was to be a drummer in a rock-and-roll band -- and he pursued that passion for a number of years.  But in his mid-20s, the band gig was running its course.  By chance, one day, his mother woke him up around noon to watch professional chef Wolfgang Puck on Hollywood Squares.

"My mom suggested that cooking and being a chef like Wolf would be something I would enjoy, because it's creative, you work with your hands, and you meet interesting people," Marc told me.  "This inspired me, and before I knew it, I was studying cooking at the George Brown Chef School in Toronto."

Now a chef for almost 30 years, Marc has had an exciting career.  He's worked as a chef at upscale restaurants such as the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto, the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, and the Restaurant at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles.  He even owned a restaurant in San Francisco called Jianna.  

The highlight of his career came when his idol and inspiration, Wolfgang Puck, called.  "Wolf asked me to be the chef at a new restaurant he was starting called Eureka in Los Angeles,” Marc told me. “Of course I agreed, and it was the thrill of my life to work for the man who had inspired me to become a chef.  The restaurant was a microbrewery, and I got some great experience because Wolf said we could cook anything we wanted -- as long as the food went well with beer.  No culture was off limits.  In my time off, I'd go to Wolf's other restaurants and learn how to cook ethnically and culturally unique foods -- Greek, Chinese, Thai, Indian -- and then apply what I had learned to dishes at Eureka.  I learned a lot from the chefs I worked with, but just as important, I learned traditional cooking techniques from the people working in the kitchens who were from many of the countries that inspired the dishes we made."

While working on the West Coast, Marc met another up-and-coming chef named Stephen Kalil, now the Executive Research Chef at Frito-Lay.  A few months ago, Stephen invited Marc to join him at Frito-Lay.  "In a restaurant you reach hundreds of people with your recipes, but at Frito-Lay your recipes can reach millions of people,” Marc explained.  “I'm now working with the Lay's brand team, and we have some pretty exciting new product ideas for next year."

Marc certainly had an exciting journey on his way to being a research chef today at Frito-Lay.  Below, you’ll find one of his favorite recipes for Tostitos and chicken -– another great dish to try this Labor Day weekend.  Don’t forget to let me know what you think of it!

Yellow Corn Tostitos Crusted Chicken Bites with a Chipotle-honey, Creamy Ranch Dip

Recipe by: Marc Valiani, Research Chef, Frito-Lay 

1 lb of chicken tenders (7-8 pieces), each tender cut into four pieces

1/4 c all purpose flour

3 whole eggs

3 Tbsp milk

2 c crushed Organic Yellow Corn Tostitos

Salt and pepper, to taste 

Chicken

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

• Cut each of the chicken tenders into four bite size pieces -- about 3/4 to 1-in long.  

• Place cut chicken into a medium mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper and dust the chicken with the flour.  

• In a second mixing bowl, mix the eggs with the milk and whisk vigorously for 2-3 minutes until homogenized.  

• Place the seasoned and floured chicken into the egg wash mixture. 

• In a clean bowl, crush the Tostitos into very small pieces. 

• Remove the chicken from the egg wash mixture, allowing the excess egg wash to drip from the chicken. Place the chicken into the bowl with the crushed Tostitos chips.

• Toss the chicken until each piece is coated thoroughly.  

• Place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 18-20 minutes.  

Dip

1 jar Lay’s Creamy Ranch dip

2 Tbsp chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp chopped cilantro

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper 

• While the chicken bakes, place all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.  

• Whisk the mixture gently for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is homogenized. 

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and serve with the chipotle-honey ranch dipping sauce, either on the side or drizzled over top of the chicken.

Click to Download Marc's_recipe now.

Comments

[Charles Williams]

i have no idea where to post this.

but i must say ...your jalapeno cheddar chips are, without hesitation, the best chip i have ever tasted!!!! i just wish i could find them more readily. please give them up! pls pls pls!!
they are hot
they are cheesay
they are ...wow ...my mouth is hot and cheesy for those cheesay chips!!!
cheese ...cheesay!
and it aint easy being so hot and cheesay@!!!!
haha
love them cheesay/hot chips!
keep em comin!!!!!!
i have a need ...a need for cheesay/hot chips!
can ya dig it?
...peace.

[Kristin]

Charles, what enthusiasm! So glad to hear you're a big fan of the chips!

[Todd Smith]

We had best call Craig Clabourne, wow first Jodi made the top 2000 chef's and now look at you with FritoLay.