Sesame Chicken

Ahh, there are few things better in life than Chinese take-out. Really, I dare you to name a few.

And while we’ve all been guilty of keeping buisnesses like Hong Kong Inn running after 20 years, don’t you ever wonder about the “chicken”, and how long its been sitting out before it hit your plate, and about just how many calories are in fried “chicken”?……and why your stomach turns and churns for a while after your Cashew “chicken”?

There is also something about eating above-mentioned “chicken” and rice straight out of a styrofoam container with a plastic fork.

So while take-out can be a good thing…. a really, really good thing, I’ve come up with a way to keep the calories down while also decreasing your chance of obtaining a food-borne illness….and you get to eat on a real plate.

But the taste? Its just the same as you remember.

(Notice I didn’t say this was cheaper than Chinese take-out- they seem to keep the cost at a bare minimum. Where do they cut their corners? I don’t want to know!)

This sesame chicken is slightly sweet and not very spicy, so call it a general chicken if you like. Or add a little Rooster Sauce to get the party started…..if that’s your thing

Sesame Chicken

Mix in large bowl, set aside:
8 oz. pineapple juice (you can buy pineapple chunks and just use the juice, reserving the pineapple chunks when we finish the dish)
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 t. fresh ginger, grated
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar

Next chop vegetables (You could use anything here, a lot of veggies are great in a stir-fry), set aside:
3 carrots, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
2 bell peppers, chopped

Then dice chicken into 1 inch pieces. Heat 2 T. canola oil in a large wok or saucepan on med-hi heat. Oh, you should also be making some rice about now too! I like basmati, but classic Chinese cuisine calls for jasmine rice. Use whatever floats your boat.

When oil is heated, add chicken and a pinch of salt. Cook chicken on both sides until done, remove chicken from wok and pour into bowl with soy mixture. Set aside.

Add 1T. oil to wok and re-heat for vegetables. Add veggies and cook until tender. (If your carrots are too big, they may need a little steam treatment. When the onions and peppers are done, just add 1/4 c. water and place the lid on the wok for 2-3 minutes- and whalla! Tender veggies!)

Once the vegetables are cooked, add back the chicken and all the sauce. Bring back to a boil. While its coming back up to temperature, make a cornstarch slurry (1/4 c. cornstarch, 1/4 c. water) and make sure its good and mixed right before you add it.

When the sauce comes to a good boil, add the cornstarch mixture, stirring as you are pouring it in. Continue stirring until the sauce is thickened. Add the pineapple chunks now if you wish.

Congratulations! Its time to eat! Serve this with rice (I like it steamed, but Justin likes his fried up with some soy sauce and an egg. Suit yourself!). Don’t forget to sprinkle some sesame seeds on for garnish- and enjoy!

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