15 August, 2015
Sesame Chicken
[blue_heading] Sesame Chicken $1.28 per serving [/blue_heading]
This is a recipe I have been wanting to make for a long long time. This is a great option for a healthier version of my favorite sesame chicken dish. Here in the Midwest, we have a grocery store chain named Hy-Vee; which I may have worked at growing up. . .”paper or plastic?”. I use to eat Hy-Vee’s sesame chicken religiously on my lunch breaks. Without almost any doubt, eating a mass amount of MSG may be the reason I come up just short of an even 6 foot tall (jk).
As common sense will tell you, eating a traditional sesame chicken dish is not the healthiest choice. Besides being loaded with high amounts of sugar, starches, and sodium, it’s just not the same as a home made dish in which you know every single ingredient you are consuming. In my mid-twenties I became a healthier eater and many dishes disappeared from my radar, sesame chicken happened to be one of them.
In the back of my mind I had always planned on making a healthier version of one of my favorite Asian inspired dishes. I came across a recipe online that looked great, and it spurred my creative spirit to give this a try. I of course added and subtracted items to fit my taste better, so I suggest you do the same.
This dish is so sweet, savory, and “sticky” you will make this a monthly entree I promise. Using honey is a great idea to substitute for regular sugar, but using honey adds that “sticky” aspect that you get from brown sugar.
Like all healthier versions of a person’s favorite recipe, this dish does not taste as glorious as the sugary big daddy version. It does however, taste pretty damn good for cutting half the calories if not more. I used white rice in this recipe, but if you are looking to lose weight or are diabetic, then making this with brown rice would be a better choice.
I had fun making this dish and it feels good to finally have a rock solid, healthy-ish, great tasting, sesame chicken recipe.
- 2 large boneless chicken breasts $1.30
- 1/2 cup Rice $0.06
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (roasted) $0.08
- 1/4 cup Honey $0.32
- 2 cloves garlic minced $0.06
- 1/2 onion (chopped) $0.14
- 1 1/2 tbsp Oil $0.05
- 3 shallots (green onion) $0.00 (garden)
- 2 cups broccoli florets $0.28
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (flour) $0.09
- 2 egg whites $0.06
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce $0.10
- 1 tsp salt & pepper $0.02
- Start by heating 1/2 tbsp of oil in a pot on medium high heat. While it's heating up chop 1/2 of a white onion, garlic, and green onions. Add chopped white onions to the heated pot to saute for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of rice and 1 cup of water, bring to a boil then set heat to low and cover for 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sesame seeds and 2 minced cloves of garlic. Stir and set aside.
- Cut up chicken breasts into bite sized pieces or strips. Season with S & P.
- In a large bowl mix 2 egg whites and 3 tbsp of cornstarch. Coat all of the cut chicken breast pieces.
- Add 1 tbsp of oil to a medium high heat pan on the stove. Add the coated chicken, and cook each side for about 4 minutes or until browned and fully cooked, (no pink).
- Chicken should look close to this if done correctly. Remove chicken from heat.
- Add the sweet sauce, broccoli florets, chopped green onions and mix all together well.
- Plate some rice and top with this delicious sesame chicken. * The leftovers taste even better after being chilled.
One thought on : 1
Tell us how yours turned out or what you would do differently. -Cheapstir