Spicy Chinese Sesame Garlic Chicken Light Food

SPICY CHINESE TAKEOUT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Chicken: Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt. In a zip-top bag, add cornstarch, followed by the chicken. Close the bag and shake to coat chicken pieces evenly; then set aside. (This can be done several hours ahead and up to overnight; the longer the chicken is in the cornstarch, the thicker the crust.)
• Sauce: Into a bowl, add hoisin sauce, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, tomato paste, and chile-garlic sauce. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• Chinese mirepoix: Thinly slice scallions on the bias, using the white and pale green sections, and just a bit of the dark green. (Reserve remaining scallion greens for another use.) Set aside ¼ of the sliced scallions for garnish. Peel, then smash garlic with the flat side of a knife, and coarsely chop. Scrape off ginger skin using a spoon, then grate using a Microplane.
• Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, cut the yellow pepper: remove the white inner ribs and discard; cut the rest of the pepper into a large dice. Check oil temperature with a wooden chopstick: it should bubble immediately. Remove chicken from the bag, shaking off excess cornstarch, and carefully place into the hot oil in a single layer. Let fry undisturbed until cooked through and very crisp for a total of 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Meanwhile, zest the orange and lemon.
• When chicken is cooked and crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons oil; rinse out and dry the pan. Reheat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add dried chiles and sauté until they darken and begin to smoke, about 1 minute. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic, and stir to combine. Add yellow peppers and cook 1 minute, tossing to combine, then add the sauce. Stir and cook 1 more minute, adding 1-2 tablespoons water as needed if the sauce is too thick. Add chicken and toss to coat and combine. Finally, shower with lemon and orange zest and give the contents a final stir. Taste for seasoning.
• Assembly: Place rice in a bowl. Spoon chicken and sauce over rice, including a good mix of vegetables and chiles along with the chicken. Garnish with reserved sliced scallions, and serve immediately.

SPICY CHINESE SESAME GARLIC CHICKEN LIGHT

Steps:

• Combine all ingridients except for chicken in a large bowl and mix together.
• Dip the chicken in and thoroughly coat each side.
• Place chicken in baking dish and pour the remaining sauce on top of the chicken.
• For maximum flavor, marinate for 2-3 hours at room temperature. If you are in a rush, you may skip this step.
• Bake at 375 degrees farenheit for 45 minutes.
• Serve over rice.

PERFECT SESAME CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sift flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, vegetable oil, and a dash of sesame oil; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.
• Heat olive oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Drop in the battered chicken pieces, a few at a time, and fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried chicken pieces onto a serving platter, and pour the hot sauce overtop. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to garnish.

SPICY CHINESE SESAME GARLIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine all ingridients except for chicken in a large bowl and mix together.
• Dip the chicken in and thoroughly coat each side.
• Place chicken in baking dish and pour the remaining sauce on top of the chicken.
• For maximum flavor, marinate for 2-3 hours at room temperature. If you are in a rush, you may skip this step.
• Bake at 375 degrees farenheit for 45 minutes.
• Serve over rice.

LIGHTER SESAME CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and fill with 1 inch water; set aside for broccoli. Cook rice according to package instructions.
• Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.
• Meanwhile, place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve sesame chicken with broccoli and rice.