Martha made this take-out staple lighter. In February, we made it faster. Now we're doubling the recipe because one batch goes by way too quickly. We want this waiting for us in the refrigerator the next day for lunch.
This works great as a make-ahead meal, or a prep-ahead meal since at least half of the time this recipes takes (15 to 20 minutes depending on how speedy you are) is spent chopping and mixing. We frequently cut the chicken and make the the sauce the day before or in the morning, then cook everything when we tumble in from the track/pool/gym/carpool/kids sports practices. The first time you make this it could take 30 minutes, but challenge you to make it in 15. It can be done!
We like to serve this with rice and steamed broccoli or snap peas or charred asparagus tips.
--Bec & Melissa
Sesame Chicken (or Tofu), Athlete Food-style
adapted from Martha Stewart
Yield: 5 to 6 servings
Time: 30 minutes
6 tablespoons soy sauce
5 tablespoons honey (a bit less than a quarter cup, if you want to use a liquid measuring cup)
2 tablespoon freshly-squeezed orange juice (store-bought is okay, freshly squeezed is, too, and squeezing a clementine is a nice way to make a dent into that big box of citrus)
2 teaspoons Caribbean Green Seasoning or 1 really big garlic clove, grated on a rasp
2 teaspoons of grated ginger, also grated on a rasp
6 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons oil of your choice (Bec uses coconut. Melissa uses half peanut, half toasted sesame.)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces OR 2 blocks of tofu, patted dry, and cut into bite-sized pieces
about 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
Grease whatever measurer you want to use for the honey with oil.
Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, orange juice, Caribbean Green Seasoning or grated garlic, grated ginger, and sesame seeds.
In a separate bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water.
Heat a large frying or sauté pan over medium high heat for one minute. Add the oils, and heat for another minute. Add the chicken or tofu, and cook, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until chicken is opaque on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes, or tofu is lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes.
If the chicken has given off a lot of liquid, pour the chicken out into a colander, in the sink, to drain the liquid off.
Add the soy sauce and honey mixture to the chicken or tofu, and cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 2 to 4 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces, or the tofu is well-coated and the sauce bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch and water, and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
Optional: Toss in a handful of roasted, unsalted cashews for crunch (and some bonus nutrients!)
