I have recently been searching for recipes that use up lemons as I seem to…
Sesame Chicken Recipe
Sesame chicken is a quick and tasty dinner. Perfect served with rice or noodles and ideal for a mid week dinner when you are in a rush.
Are you a food hoarder? Do you have cupboards full of tins, jars and packets that you have bought and not got round to using? At the moment my cupboards are so full they are in danger of falling off the walls. I knew there was a problem when I found I had four packets of penne pasta and had bought another. I am now on a mission to use up all the packets and tins in my cupboards before I stock up again.
Lurking in the back of the cupboard I found two jars of sesame seeds. These were left over from when I made sushi. The sushi was lovely and I would make it again but I would have to buy more ingredients. That would defeat the purpose of clearing out the cupboards. I thought I would use the sesame seeds to make sesame chicken. I have plenty of frozen chicken in my freezer so it would use that as well.
Chinese New Year
Next weekend is the start of Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival. The festivities span a number of day with celebrations starting the day before Chinese New Year and continuing until the Lantern Festival. This is fifteen days after New Year. There will be celebrations in China Town in the centre of Newcastle with dragon dances and a festival in the streets. We went a few years ago when my son was smaller and had great fun trying to catch a photo of the dragon. We may go this year; it really depends on the weather.
Each Chinese New Year is characterised by a different animal. There are twelve animals which make up the Chinese Zodiac which all have a year named after them. This year is the Year of the Rooster. Chinese astrology also associates each year with one of five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth. 2017 is the year of the fire rooster, a combination that will not occur again for 60 years.
Sesame Chicken
Given that it is the Year of the Rooster a chicken recipe is appropriate. Sesame chicken was perfect. As well as being quick and easy to make it tastes delicious. The blend of soy sauce and rice wine adds a delicate seasoning to the chicken. Sesame seeds add crunch and a sprinkle of spring onions on the top adds a little tang of flavour.
If you are trying to save money this January sesame chicken is a great replacement for a takeaway. It is so quick to make it will be ready before the delivery driver would have left to bring your meal to you. Why not serve it with rice or noodles? The dish reminds me a little of Japanese teriyaki chicken but is much more Chinese in flavour.
Recently I have been experimenting with a spiralizer and the sesame chicken went perfectly with my carrot noodles. These were left over when I made carrot and apricot flapjacks and made a great healthy accompaniment for the chicken dish.
Sesame chicken recipe
Sesame chicken
A quick and tasty chicken made with sesame seeds in a sauce. Perfect for a mid-week meal
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp water
- 1½ tbsp rice vinegar
- 1½ tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cm fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 spring onions sliced
Instructions
- Place the eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combime
- Put the cornflour in another bowl
- Chop the chicken into pieces
- Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and then the flour. Repeat until all the pieces are coated
- Heat the oil in a pan
- Add the chicken and cook until crispy. About ten minutes
- Remove the chicken from the pan and drain on a paper towel
- Add the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic and ginger into a bowl and combine
- Add the sauce mixture to a pan and cook for around four minutes until it thickens
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with sauce
- Add the sesame seeds and chopped spring onions to the pan and stir.
Why not pin the recipe to make later?
Do you have a favourite meal you make instead of having a takeaway? Let me know below.
Adding to the kitchen clearout linky at Madhouse Family Reviews as I got rid of some sesame seeds.
Now, I looked at this and thought, oooh, I could make that … then realised that I used up the end of my sesame seeds. I will have to ignore the temptation to buy more lol – I have loads of other things to use up though so I will have to adapt your recipe. I have ume plum sesame seeds – they should work ! 🙂
Whoops, sorry I shouldn’t be tempting you to stock your cupboards up again. The ume plum sesame seeds should work, not sure how they are different
I’m a total hoarder. Need to go through my supplies too. Delicious recipe! I like sesame seeds, so this is just right up my alley.
I really need to empty my cupboards. Thanks it was tasty