Sesame Chicken

Whenever we go out for or order in Chinese food, I typically get General Tsao’s chicken. Of course, there is the rare occasion I will opt for sweet and sour or sesame chicken. Craving something different and in the mood to experiment in the kitchen one evening, I decided to try my hand at sesame chicken. While the recipe I based this off of called for roux to make a faux coating for the chicken, I found that to be a little bit of a hassle. I went ahead and made it anyway and, in the future, I will likely just use plain chicken (as this recipe reflects) since it tastes just as good uncoated. Other than that little hiccup, this was absolutely phenomenal.

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 or 2 broccoli crowns (depending on size), chopped

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tsp. duck sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. hot chili sauce

3 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

3 green onions, sliced

Hot, cooked rice  

Season (as desired) and cook chicken in oil in a wok or skillet until no longer pink. In a large saucepan, steam broccoli until crisp tender and set aside. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, duck sauce, garlic, ginger, chili sauce, sesame seeds, water and cornstarch. Whisk until the sauce is free of lumps. Add the sauce, along with the green onions, to the wok or skillet with the chicken and toss to combine. Cook until sauce thickens. Stir in broccoli, then serve over rice.