Cranberry and mushroom citrus-ginger chicken with veggies

YIELD: 48 (6 oz.) servings

6 cups cranberry sauce, jellied
2 Tbsps. orange zest
3 cups orange juice
2 tsps. (or more, to taste) ground ginger
1 lb., 12 oz. dried sweetened cranberries
3  lbs. chicken, cooked, diced, frozen
5 lbs. carrot slices, frozen
2 lbs. snap peas, frozen
1 ½ lbs. mushroom slices, fresh
pan spray, as needed

1. To make the cranberry ginger sauce, in 4-inch full-size steam pan, whisk cranberry sauce with a wire whip until smooth. Gradually stir in orange juice to combine. 

2. Stir in orange zest and ground ginger. To prevent ground ginger from clumping, sift over the sauce through a mesh sieve. 

3. Stir in dried cranberries. Cover and set aside. 

4. Place frozen chicken in 4-inch full-size steam pan with perforated insert and steam for 5 minutes until chicken is heated to 165°F for 15 seconds. Hold hot in perforated pan set to allow excess liquid to drain from the chicken. Hold hot at 135°F or above. 

5. Place frozen carrots in 4-inch full-size steam pan with perforated insert and layer frozen snap peas on top. Steam for 4-5 minutes, until crisp and tender, taking care to not overcook. Hold hot in perforated pan set to allow excess liquid to drain from the vegetables. Hold hot at 135°F or above. Steam chicken and vegetables at same time if steamer space allows. 

6. Coat a steam pan with pan spray. Place sliced mushrooms in pan; spray slices lightly with pan spray. Toss slices to coat. 

7. In a preheated 350°F oven, cook mushrooms until tender and browned, stirring halfway through cooking time, about 8-10 total minutes. 

8. While mushrooms are cooking, heat cranberry ginger sauce in steamer for 5 minutes. 

9. In 6-inch full-size steam pan, combine chicken, all vegetables and cranberry ginger sauce. Fold or stir gently to mix, taking care to keep snap peas intact. CCP: Hold hot at 135°F or above. For best quality and ease in combining hot ingredients, prepare in 48-serving size recipe batches. If perforated pan inserts are not available, drain all cooked items well to remove excess liquid. 

10. To Serve: Portion a 6 oz. spoodle (¾ cup) of mixture on a plate or bowl. Serving suggestion: serve over rice (brown rice, or brown/enriched rice whole grain-rich blend), ½ cup (1 oz. equivalent grains) per 6 oz. spoodle portion.

Photo and recipe: Cranberry Marketing Committee USA