Easy Sesame Chicken

How have I not tried this recipe before?!  An easy sesame chicken recipe should be my catnip.

This is one of those things that has sat on my Pinterest board for a couple years now, and every week I look at it and then pass it over for something else. Why? I have no idea.

Sesame chicken is my jam when I get Chinese food. But over the winter break I decided to give it a try since it looked simple and I was already making a dessert as well. And I’m so glad I did—this recipe is simple, delicious, and mostly healthy. You can add whatever veggies you want and it can be ready in the time it takes to cook your rice.

The one major change I’ve made is to double the sauce recipe…I like my sesame chicken SAUCY.  But I’ve kept the original amounts in the recipe below, and then I just always double it. 

Set your rice to cooking.  I love jasmine or basmati, and I make it in my awesome rice cooker.

Whisk the egg, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Trim any fat from the chicken, then cut into 1-inch pieces and toss with the egg mixture.

If you’re using veggies (’cause you know, healthy…), cut them up and then heat a skillet on medium-high with a couple tablespoons of oil.  Toss the veggies in with some salt and pepper and stir fry for several minutes until they soften slightly, but stay crunchy.

At the same time as you make the veggies, heat a large skillet with the vegetable oil over medium-high heat for the chicken. When the oil is hot enough, it’ll look kind of wavy on the surface. This is when you add the chicken and egg mixture to the pan and cook until it’s golden brown and cooked all the way through. This will take about 7-10 minutes.

While the chicken and veggies are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Combine the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and sesame seeds.

Once the chicken is cooked, pour the sauce into the pan with the chicken and stir together until the sauce thickens (which it should do right away).

Toss the chicken and sauce with the veggies. Serve over a bed of rice and sprinkle the sliced green onions over top (I got too hungry and forgetful at this point).

This is one of my absolute favorite go-to dinners!  Fast, easy, delicious, and feels like I’m splurging on takeout!

Other fast dinners you’ll love:

• 30-Minute Mongolian Chicken
• Healthy Honey Sesame Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
• Maple-Glazed Chicken with Sweet Potato Hash
• Apricot Balsamic Rosemary Chicken
• Chicken with Creamy Feta Sauce
• Amazing & Easy Chicken Shawarma
• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Easy Sesame Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

A delicious and super easy sesame chicken recipe perfect for any weeknight. I typically double the sauce...I like it saucy!

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Ingredients

• CHICKEN
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1 pinch each of salt & pepper
• 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (for pan-frying)
• SAUCE
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of water
• ½ tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
• 1½ tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1½ tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 1 inch of fresh ginger, grated (I didn't end up using this much)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• FOR SERVING
• 2 cups of cooked jasmine rice (or whatever kind you want)
• Optional: Vegetables for stir frying---I used red pepper, broccolini, snow peas
• Optional: 2 whole green onions for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Trim any excess fat from the chicken, then cut them into 1-inch pieces and toss with the egg mixture.
2. Optional: Cut up the veggies, heat a skillet (medium-high) with a couple tablespoons of oil, and toss the veggies in with some salt and pepper. Stir fry the vegetables for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften slightly (but retain their crunch). Set aside.
3. At the same time you start the vegetables, heat a large skillet with the vegetable oil over medium-high heat for the chicken.
4. When the oil is very hot (it'll look wavy on the surface), add the chicken and all of the egg mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it is golden brown and cooked through. This will take about 7-10 minutes. 
5. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl whisk the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and sesame seeds together.
6. Once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, pour the sauce over top. Toss the chicken to coat in the sauce, which will begin to thicken as soon as it hits the hot skillet.
7. Once the chicken is coated and the sauce thickened, turn off the heat. Serve over a bed of rice and sprinkle the sliced green onions over top.

Notes

• I usually double the sauce amounts because I like it saucy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 350

Original recipe here

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