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When you taste these chicken pieces coated in a sticky, super simple Asian sauce and toasted sesame seeds, you’ll be so impressed with yourself for getting something so flavoursome on the table in just 15 minutes!
Mr. Scrummy and I got all excited by a purchase we made a couple of weeks ago. Not a car or brand new sofa or anything like that, but a second-hand freezer we snapped up from Gumtree for only £30. It was a bit battered here and there, but after a quick wipe down it was (almost) as good as new. Most importantly, it ended our 4 months of frustration with having the tiniest freezer compartment known to man in our rented apartment. Many a day included a spell of me huffing and puffing while kneeling in front of said fridge-freezer while unsuccessfully trying to squish things in.
For the last week or so, then, it’s been frozen meals central around here (and ice cream central, but I blame Mr. Scrummy for that one). Not the preservative-laden pre-prepared variety, you’ll be relieved to know. Just loads of leftover portions of food that I immediately started smugly tucking into our new freezer drawers – just because I could!
But the day finally came when there were no more frozen-meals-for-two left and I had to start getting off my *** again and get cooking some meals. That day was yesterday, but I decided to ease myself out of my lazy ways by cooking something that wouldn’t take very long but would still taste really good.
After a quick leaf through my ‘to make’ list, I decided on a version of a recipe I found on the Weight Watcher’s website, of all places. Now just to be clear, I am not a ‘weight watcher’ (with no disrespect to any of you who are, of course) but I guess it’s still good to know that this recipe is a pretty healthy, light one. Even if you account for the fact that the Weight Watcher’s recipe is supposedly good for four, but Mr. Scrummy and I ate the whole lot to ourselves. AND, ahem, tripled the amount of sauce …
I definitely could have got away with making a little less of the sauce, but I figure that it’s best to have some extra for those who want it. You can always leave some in the pan, but you don’t want to feel like you don’t have enough now, do you? 😉
Mr. Scrummy raved about how flavourful this was … and it really is. There are only four ingredients in the sauce (maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and ginger) but they are all pretty punchy flavours which meld together beautifully to make a sort of sweet and sour, glaze-y sauce that clings to the chicken and makes it all sticky and delicious.
Spoon a good portion of the chicken and sauce over a bowl of rice, sprinkle nutty toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onions generously over, grab some chop sticks and sit down and enjoy … only 15 minutes after you started cooking.
What’s your favourite 15-minute meal?
Serves: 2 to 3
- 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons water mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons rice wine (I used Japanese mirin, but Chinese rice wine is OK, too)
- about 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- about 450 grams/1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- about 3 spring onions, chopped
- oil, for cooking
- rice to serve
- Heat a large skillet/frying pan on a medium heat, then toast the sesame seeds until a light golden colour (about 2 to 3 minutes). Transfer to a bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the water & cornstarch, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine, ginger & 5-spice. Set aside.
- Put the flour, salt and pepper onto a plate and roll the chicken in it until all of the chicken is lightly coated.
- Heat a good drizzle of oil in the pan on a medium-high heat, then brown the chicken for about 5 minutes until golden on all sides.
- Add the sauce to the pan and let it bubble and thicken for a minute or two. Serve the chicken over rice, then sprinkle generously with the toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.
This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce (because that’s how we like it!) Just reduce the first 4 sauce ingredients (water, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine) to only 2 tablespoons if you’re a little less ‘saucy’!
This is lovely served with some simple boiled broccoli. Put frozen broccoli on to boil about the same time you start cooking the chicken and everything should be ready around the same time.
I took the lazy approach to my rice and bought a packet of the stuff you just bung in the microwave for a couple of minutes. If you'd rather cook your own, just remember to put it on to cook when you start making your meal so that it's ready in time.
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Hi Helen! What a coincidience, you need to look at my blog now, you’ll see what I mean! hahaha Ok, not identical recipes but they sure look nearly identical 🙂 I’m sure this is delicious xxx
Oh, Sofia, I’m laughing so much right now! That is SUCH a coincidence! Yummy, isn’t it?
Hi Helen =) About 3 years ago we also bought a second-hand small freezer and OMG it changed our lives 😛 I could make great ice creams, freeze all the nice fresh stuff from the garden…. But since we had to make some changes in our place to fit one more family member, we had to sell the little freezer:´( so enjoy the happiness of freezing food as long as you can. And I know too well how it is to eat a meal for 4 (or even for 6!) when you´re just 2 😛
Hi, karla! I so hope we don’t have to get rid of our freezer tooo soon. It has definitely changed our lives, too … in just 2 weeks!
J’aime bien lire tes histoires avec Mr. Scrummy ! Le poulet comme ça on est très fan à la maison ! Mon mari, raffole des plats comme ça, je en suis sûre que le tienne apprécierais beaucoup ! Jolie présentation.
Merci, Eva! Mon mari raffole des plats comme ca, aussi … et c’est SI facile … mon plat favori ‘du moment’!
Favorite 15 minute meal? Hmm. A cup of coffee. Ha. I’m not really very good at getting any meal together in just 15 minutes. Sesame seeds and chicken just go together, so eager to give this recipe a whirl Helen. I already know the family would like, can just tell. Thinking about throwing in some cashews too.
Oh, it would be wonderful with cashews, Laura! I think doubling this recipe would easily feed five. Let me know how you go!
We love lots of sauce here too, Helen! This will go down easily at our house. Thanks for posting and making me look good!
Oh, you’re welcome, Lori … happy to have helped! 🙂
I remember the battle with the tiny freezers over there, congratulations on your purchase. I love sesame chicken and this is a delicious easy dish and perfect for freezing the leftovers 🙂
I’m not sure ‘tiny’ quite communicates how small our freezer compartment is … lol! Oh well, we’ve fixed it now! Glad you like this, Janette!
Love the flavors in this sticky chicken! Pinned to try it! Congrats on your new freezer 🙂
Thanks, Mira! We’re loving the new freezer! Glad you like the chicken recipe!
This sesame chicken looks amazing, Helen! Love quick, stir-fry recipes!
Thanks, Jess! They’re my fave, too!
Helen this looks amazing! And I love how quickly it comes together! This is the ultimate weeknight meal!
I seriously can’t believe this can be done in 15 minutes. It looks so incredibly delicious!
Glad you like it, Marissa! 🙂
Helen, seriously, I am SO impressed with this recipe. It is genius! The use of cornstarch, the combo of flavours, the fact that it’s FIFTEEN MINUTES…..! You rock!! This is so perfect for fast midweek meals. Pinning! Pinning wildly!
Ha … thanks, Nagi!! And thanks muchly for the wild pinning! 🙂
15 minutes?! Not only do I love the sound of how fast this is to make, it looks utterly delicious, too! Pinned.
Glad you like it, Marcie … and thanks so much for pinning!
I love easy meals like this! Sounds so perfect for busy weeknights, Helen! Sesame chicken is one of my favorites, so I’m sure this is delicious!
Thanks, Gayle! This is definitely one of my fave meals at the moment. Can’t stop eating it!
Hi Helen, this is my kind of meal, quick, easy and delicious!
Hello, Cheri … my fave kind of meal, too! Glad you like this!
That’s awesome that you guys got a new freezer! Now you can keep so much stuff cold! Our freezer is pretty much filled to the brim so we could probably use one too! I love this sticky sesame chicken! For some reason Asian food that is sticky with yummy sauce is always so good!
It is, isn’t it? The flavours are just so tangy and ‘oomph-y’ (is that even a word?) Glad you like this sticky chicken, Izzy!
Your new freezer will be very sad since we are sure there will be no leftover sesame chicken to keep for the next day! It looks so delicious and vibrantly tasty.
Ahhh … you got me, girls! There certainly weren’t any leftovers! Maybe next time … 😉
Ooooo that sauce!!! It sounds so good! And with only those few ingredients …. I love it!
We had the smallest freezer at our old house before we moved – I was so excited when I saw the freezer at our new place! It’s awesome! 🙂
Isn’t it amazing how something so so simple can absolutely change you life?? I’m still loving that new freezer and packing it with all sorts of goodies!
Oh so happy on your superb purchase. And I love this chicken recipe. I don’t ever cook anything like this recipe and would certainly love to try. I bet my daughter will love this.
You should give it a try for sure, Kathy!
Oh my goodness. Give me ALL of that gloriously-sticky messy chicken heaven! LOVE that this is all ready for digging into in only 15 minutes! Hello, weeknight dream dinner. 🙂
Hi, Sarah! Yes, this is definitely well and truly in my weeknight meal rotation!
Takeout at home AND it takes only 15 minutes to make?! You know I”m into this!
I bet this would work with tofu too, Joanne 😉
Congrats on the new freezer! Love quick meals that are packed with a ton of flavor. Over a bed of rice, I’d pour extra sauce all over 😉
Thanks, Kathleen! Glad I’m not the only ‘saucy one’ around here!!
I love sesame chicken and I am really glad that you shared this really quick and easy way to make it! Can’t wait to try it out for myself!
Thanks, Pamela! Really hope you do give this a go some time soon! 🙂
Oh my gosh I would be so excited to score an extra freezer! Ours is a joke. And what a steal! This meal looks fantastic Helen, I think my hubby especially would love it. Pinning for him 😉
Really? I didn’t think small freezers would ever be a problem in the states! Really happy this might please your hubby, Allie!
Now this is my kind of meal. I love sesame seeds.
My favourite 15 minute meal is avocado pasta. Yum!
Ooh, I will have to try out that avocado pasta … I remember you posted the recipe recently!
I am a huge fan of sesame seed so I am all over this chicken.
Glad you like it, Bintu! 🙂
Helen – y’all scored a freezer a £30?? Now that’s one heck of a deal indeed!
And the sauce coating this chicken sounds so lip-smacking flavorful – just like Mr Scrummy said!
Hi, Shashi! Haha … lol! We sure are enjoying that freezer. It’s already crammed full with yummy bread and frozen meals for lazy evenings. Love it!
Worth a couple of extra minutes!
Smooth Move – Velveting
http://www.saveur.com/article/Kitchen/Smooth-Move-Velveting-Technique
By Andy Baraghani 07-27-2011
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Also I make a very similar dish, but because it calls for whole chicken pieces takes a lot longer, thanks for this wonderful/quick recipe. Also different with the recipe I make, (which came from my fathers care-giver 20 years ago), is that it calls for 2/3’s cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard & 2 tablespoons cider vinegar. (and no sesame seed!) Sometime when you’re in the mood to experiment, I suggest try adding about a tsp. or so of dijon mustard(?) and maybe also 1 or t teaspoons of Chinese Sesame Paste. (just some IDEAS for Variations) I have not tried this yet, but because of the similarities I know it has to be really tasty and with the added bonus of really QUICK!
Chris
Interesting idea to add mustard – I never would have thought of that! I bet the sesame paste goes wonderfully, too – I’ll definitely have to look out for some next time I go to my local Asian supermarket!