Thursday, March 24, 2011

Sesame Chicken with Snow Peas

A busy schedule doesn’t mean you have to live on takeout and PB&J. Skip takeout and serve this lightened-up version instead. It’s ready in just about 30 minutes.

Sesame Chicken with Snow Peas
Serves 4

Ingredients
5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 ¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into ¾ -inch chunks
6 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili paste or sriacha
4 cups snow peas, trimmed
Cooked brown or white rice, for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions
Whisk 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil and the honey in a bowl. Toss in the chicken and marinate 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the marinade using a slotted spoon. Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in 2 batches; turning once or twice, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes (add 2 more teaspoons canola oil between batches). Transfer the chicken to a plate and wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil in the skillet. Add the scallions, reserving some of the green parts for topping. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk the broth, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, chili paste and the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce in a bowl; add to the skillet and cook, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil.

Meanwhile, cook the snow peas in a steamer basket set over a few inches of boiling water until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet with the sauce and heat through. Serve the chicken and snow peas over brown rice, if desired. Top with the sesame seeds and reserved scallion greens.

No comments:

Post a Comment