A Family Favorite Returns

I'm so glad I brought out the More Healthy Homestyle Cooking cookbook after who knows how long. I'd forgotten just how many recipes we really like from it. I have been making the Sesame Chicken since Ryan was a little. My husband loves it, Ryan will gobble it up and I've made it for company too. It's fairly simple, really only requiring a couple ingredients that some people might not keep on hand. My only changes are that I usually use more chicken than called for, double the dredging mixture and for each batch, add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pan. I've found that just using the cooking spray tends to burn the chicken more. Although it adds a little more fat, the olive oil gives the chicken a great golden outside.

Sesame Chicken

1/4 cup unbleached or all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2"-4" strips
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any excess.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet in batches and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until white and no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Combine the soy sauce and sugar in the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the oil and sesame seeds. Add the chicken and chives. Toss and serve immediately.

Hint: To toast sesame seeds, place in a dry skillet and toast, shaking the pan, over medium-high heat for a minute or so or until fragrant and lightly browned. If you do this first when the chicken is cooked in the same skillet, it picks up more sesame flavor.

4 servings