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Homemade Chex Mix (Asian Style)

This Asian Style homemade Chex Mix has a peanut butter, sriracha glaze that coats peanuts, wasabi peas and sugar pops. You will love this kicked up version!

homemade chex mix

There is something you need to know about me. I am not a Chex Mix kind of girl.

 I’m not a pretzel girl, a Frito’s girl, a Cheeto’s girl or a Dorito’s girl; though I admit to having had an affair with honey mustard pretzels, ever so briefly.

I’m a potato chip girl and most any flavor is acceptable. So when Chex Mix contacted me and asked if I’d like to participate in a blogging event for Chex Mix I immediately said yes.

OK. There was compensation involved and free samples but really this was all in the name of blogging. You know – research for the blog, on behalf of all my blog readers that might eat Chex Mix.

To be honest, Chex Mix was not a staple in my home. Nor was it a staple in my family home, even though it appears to have been created in 1956.

Growing up, my home was Chex free. I remember when I met Manservant, though. He took me down to Tayxas and introduced me to his folks.

And there-There!-I met my first batch of Chex Mix. Yes, it was clearly labeled in black felt tip pen on a piece of masking tape, “Trash”  which was taped, I believe to a Swedish butter cookie tin.

I liked it, but I would have never thought to have made it. I picked out the round melba toast thingies and liked those the best.

And each year my mother in law dutifully sent me tins of trash which my Manservant ate.  But me, not so much. And then I discovered something similar to the Chex mix recipe at Costco which I bought for awhile.

I liked the little melba thingies in that mix, too!

homeade Asian Chex mix

But back to my foray with Chex Mix. The Chex Mix team travels to various cities each holiday to promote Chex mix.

The mixtures they featured this year were pumpkin spice, sugar cookie and Mexican chocolate. The idea was to throw a party around Chex Mix and have everyone make their own gifts for giving.

They provided really fun containers and all the flavored Chex mix we could want. It was fun and if I still had young kids they would have loved this for a holiday party.

It is easy to make and all the Chex cereals except the wheat are gluten free. Yes, my daughter would have had fun with this! There are a zillion recipes out there and they all sound great.

chex party mix stand
I however, am a salty snack person and though these flavors were good they weren’t something I could have munched on for too long.

So I decided (since I have now entered the Chex world) that I would come up with something more to my liking.

You know how much I love Vietnamese food so my thought was to take those flavors and turn them into a crunchy snack. One that would rival the potato chip.

Now please don’t think I snack on potato chips. I don’t. But a sandwich just isn’t a sandwich without a few chips on the side.

And when I make my famous onion dip or artichoke dip, well, those need potato chips, too.  But thinking that homemade Chex mix could be a bit healthier than your average potato chip, I decided to experiment.

Success was easily found and pleased even the non Chex eaters who tasted it.

homemade chex mix

Chex mix takes only 15 minutes from start to finish if you use a microwave. You could bake it in your oven, too.

It is a great snack and I must say that I can’t wait to try a new concoction, though I’m mighty pleased with this one.

It suited Manservant and myself well into happy hour, and if I hadn’t put it away, all of it might easily have disappeared into our tummies.

If you like garlic and peanuts and salt with a touch of sweetness, then this Asian Style Saigon Crunch Chex Mix is for you.

A bit of coconut and fried shallots and missing shrimp chips put this over the top. (I admit it. I bought shrimp chips to put in this and then forgot to use them. I’ll put them in the next batch.)

And yes, there will be a next batch. This stuff was good!

What is your favorite kind of Chex mix? And does anyone have a better name for thislittle bit spicy Chex mix?

 
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Saigon Style Crunchy Chex Mix

Saigon Crunch Chex Mix

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Abbe Odenwalder
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 Minutes
  • Total Time: 25 Minutes
  • Yield: 12 Cups
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: Microwave
  • Cuisine: Asian/American

Description

This Asian style Chex mix is so good and perfect for snacking!


Ingredients

4 cups of rice chex


2 c of rice crispies


2 c of sugar pops


1 c peanuts


1 c sriracha or wasabi peas


1/2 c of fried shallots


1/2 c of coconut flakes


1 c of wasabi peas

Sauce:


4 T of butter


3 T of peanut butter


2 T brown sugar


Juice of 1/2 a lime


1 1/2 T fish sauce


1 t sriracha hot sauce


1/2 t garlic powder


Instructions

Melt butter, peanut butter and brown sugar in microwave until butter melts and peanut butter gets soft, in 1 minute intervals at power level 7, until whiskable! Then whisk the mixture well, until smooth.
Stir in lime juice, fish sauce, hot sauce and garlic powder. Make sure you stir this until it makes a thick, smooth cohesive sauce.
Mix hard ingredients together in a large microwaveable bowl. (Feel free to come up with your own ingredients. I found all of these at my regular grocery, except the fried shallots which I buy by the container at an Asian grocery. You could make them or I think a good substitute would be the French fried onion rings that come in a can. Next time I will put in the shrimp chips!)
Now stir in your sauce mixture. Stir it well! Microwave for about two minutes. Stir again well! Now another two minutes! Stir. Now 1-2 minutes more. Pour out onto a parchment lined counter top to let cool and dry.
Be careful when you cook this in the microwave. The center of the mixture gets hot first so be careful to not let that burn!
I couldn’t resist. I got what was left out of the pantry and am munching it now! This is sooo good! Thanks Chex Mix!

Notes

You need about 12 cups of your favorite cereal/snack mixture.

 

 

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Barb | Creative Culinary

Friday 27th of December 2013

I'm the lucky one who actually got to try this and I'm in love. This makes the 'regular' Chex mix seem way too vanilla now; the spices and shapes and even the color makes this my new favorite. Thanks for sending some home with me too. I've hidden it; it is ALL mine! :)

Yi @ Yi Reservation

Friday 20th of December 2013

I love chex mix and I normally buy the premixed kind because I just never thought of flavoring my own. The saigon crunch is such a wonderful idea! I am so inspired to flavor my own chex mix now! Thanks for sharing Abbe!

Liz Berg

Thursday 19th of December 2013

I love salty snacks, too! I try not to eat chips as once I start, I eat WAY too many. I love the classic Chex Mix, but your Asian version may become my new favorite!

Biz

Thursday 19th of December 2013

Not a Chex mix girl??!! Or a Cheetos girl?? Okay, I'll still be friends with you, but that's a hard pill to swallow.

My husband grew up on his friends Mom's Chex Mix - commonly known in the midwest as Nuts and Bolts - it has Cheerios for the bolts.

My Aunt makes the best Chex mix every year and we anxiously wait for it. She does hers in the microwave too, but it has that "baked" taste if you know what I mean.

I LOVE YOUR VERSION! Making it for my brother next week.

Laura Dembowski

Wednesday 18th of December 2013

I love Chex Mix, chips, fritos, cheetos, tortilla chips . . . all of it! This mix sounds great, but puppy chow is my fave. I could eat myself sick on it.

Abbe Odenwalder

Thursday 19th of December 2013

I've seen puppy chow recipes, but have never had it. Sounds like maybe I shouldn't!