Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

I don't have many crock pot recipes so I'm excited to have found this keeper.  The recipe comes from the blog, The Comfort of Cooking.   It's so easy and really delicious!  The only improvement I can think of, is to add steamed broccoli at the end as there is plenty of the yummy sauce to go around.

YIELD: Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS:

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Pepper (no salt needed as soy sauce has enough salt)

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

1/2 tablespoon (or more) sesame seeds

3 scallions (green onions), chopped

Serve with rice

DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken in Crock Pot and  season both sides with pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 3 hours.

Remove chicken to a cutting board. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside. 

In a small bowl, dissolve 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Cover and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.

Add Chicken back into sauce and heat through.  Serve over rice and top with scallions and sesame seeds.

Chinese Chicken Salad

I had forgotten all about this Chinese Chicken Salad recipe until my daughter asked me for the recipe the other day.  I've been making this salad for years but the recipe never made it on my blog because I  never remembered to take a photo but this time I did.  So here, Megan, is the recipe for Chinese Chicken Salad that you were craving.  Thanks for the reminder, it was delicious.

Dressing:

4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup salad oil

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, browned (see note)

Salad:

1 head lettuce, cut up (or 1 bag)

1 cup cooked chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

4 green onions, sliced 

1/4 cup sliced almonds, browned  (see note)

1 cup chow main noodles

1.  Mix vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and whisk in salad oil until combined.  Add browned sesame seeds.

2.  In a large bowl add lettuce, chicken, onions, almonds.

3.  Pour dressing (you may not need all the dressing) over salad and sprinkle salad with chow mien noodles.

Note:  To brown almonds, put on cookie sheet and brown in 400 degree oven for a few minutes.  Watch carefully as they can burn fast!  Do the same for the sesame seeds on a different cookie sheet as the sesame seeds will brown first.  This step is important as browning will bring out their flavor.

Makes 4 main dish salads

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders with Fresh Sage

I love growing herbs during the summer.  It's a great feeling when you need a certain herb and it's just growing right outside.  I grow parsley, basil, mint, rosemary and sage.  I don't make a lot with sage but I was glad I had it once I found this recipe.  These Chicken tenders are so quick and simple to make.  The sage leaves gives the chicken  a lot of flavor and bacon just makes everything better!  Once the bacon is crisp (about 6 minutes per side) the chicken tenders are moist and cooked perfectly.      

• Ingredients:
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 8 chicken tenders (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 8 slices bacon
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil





Directions:
Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice. You won't need a toothpick, once bacon is cooked on one side, it's easy to flip with a spatula. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through, 6 minutes.  Transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain.  Serves 4 (2 per servings)




Original recipe comes from Martha Stewart/Everyday Cooking