Did you know that Sesame Chicken is a classic dish found in many Chinese restaurants in America? Tender, juicy chicken breasts lightly fried and smothered in a sweet, savory and spicy sesame sauce. Topped with crunchy sesame seeds as the crowning glory. It is often served over rice or noodles.
Ingredients:
-1 Tbsp cornstarch
-4 Tbsp light or dark brown sugar (depending on preference)
-2 tsp sesame oil
-2 tsp minced ginger root/fresh peeled ginger paste *optional*
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1/4 cup soy sauce **reduced sodium preferred
3 tablespoons water mixed with
1 tablespoon white vinegar)
2 heaping tbsp of honey.
-1 heaping Tbsp of white vinegar *reduced sodium preferred*
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 lb chicken breast cut into 1 inch piece
Method:
-Prepare rice: Bring 2 cups water to boil in large saucepan; add rice; cover and cook 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
-Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Spray broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange chicken in single layer on prepared pan; broil for 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cooked through.
-While chicken cooks, stir together soy sauce and cornstarch in small bowl; set aside.
-Melt butter in 12″ skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add broth, soy sauce mixture and Hoisin Sauce to skillet; bring to boil and cook until slightly thick, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in sesame seeds and cayenne pepper; cook until just beginning to brown. Remove from heat; set aside.
-Heat wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; add chicken to pan and brown for about 4 minutes on each side (start with skin side down) or until no longer pink in the center of the thickest part, adding a little more oil if pan becomes too dry during cooking.
-Add ¼ cup of the sauce mixture and toss chicken to coat evenly. Cook an additional 3 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Serve immediately with rice and broccoli florets sprinkled with green onions.
-For Crockpot Chicken, cook frozen chicken breasts in crockpot on low for 6-8 hours.
-For Stovetop Chicken, cook chicken with sesame sauce, chopped brown sugar and cayenne pepper in a large deep saucepan on medium high for about 15-20 minutes until meat falls apart easily.
-Chicken and Sauce can be added to the Crockpot before cooking on low for 6 hours or Stovetop Chicken can be cooked on medium high heat with sesame sauce, brown sugar and cayenne pepper for about 20 minutes until meat falls apart easily.
