Chicken Scary-aki (Monster Fingers)

One of my favorite recipes from THE DIVA HAUNTS THE HOUSE is Chicken Scary-aki, also known as Monster Fingers!  You won't believe how much a chicken tender can look like a withered monster finger.  When you're adding almonds as fingernails, don't look just for perfect slices.  Ragged ones look like broken fingernails!

Be sure to get to the rest of the Halloween festivities faster by using aluminum foil for super quick clean-up!

3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons apricot preserves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 package chicken tenders (about 9 chicken tenders)
Almonds, sliced or halved

Whisk the cornstarch into the orange juice until dissolved.  Pour into a small pot, along with the soy sauce, garlic, apricot preserves, and ginger.  Stir or whisk.  Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly.  Cook at a gentle boil for approximately 1 minute, stirring.  Set aside to cool.

When cool, pour 1 cup of the sauce into a zip-top bag and add the chicken tenders.  Squeeze out any excess air and be sure the meat is covered with the sauce.  Marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour.  Refrigerate the remainder of the marinade.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the chicken tenders on the foil and squeeze any excess marinade in the bag onto them.

Place one almond slice or half on the pointy end of each chicken tender (as a fingernail).  Bake 15 minutes.

Heat the reserved marinade and serve in little bowls as a dipping sauce.

Bwahahahaha!