Sweet Chili Sesame Chicken

I love making take-out meals at home. In the days when I was newly married I would rush home after work to catch 30-Minute Meals with Rachael Ray on Food Network. This was during her rise to fame, when she was introducing catch phrases that are now part of our cooking vernacular (EVOO: extra virgin olive oil, Stoup: soup that is thicker than soup but thinner than stew, and my personal favorite, MYOTO: make your own take-out). I subconsciously latched on to that concept, and it’s changed how my family eats; for example, in the last 14 years we’ve rarely eaten at a Chinese restaurant or ordered take-out. I still love going out for Chinese food - the egg rolls! Hot and sour soup! Sometimes, though, it's a smarter choice to enjoy those same meals at home to skip extra calories and MSG. Here’s a recipe for just such an occasion. Like most stir-fry recipes, this comes together super fast, so it’s best to have your components lined up, ready to go. I let the chicken marinate while preparing the sauce and prepping the veggies, but you could certainly prep the night before or in the morning, then whip it up after work or baseball practice. Trust Shel, this comes together faster than the delivery guy can reach your doorstep, while you know exactly what ingredients went into it (including the secret ingredient: love). That's a take-out win for sure (fortune cookie not included).

Sweet Chili Sesame Chicken (adapted from loveandoliveoil.com)

For the chicken marinade:

1 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch
1 egg white
1 t. sesame oil 
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

For the sauce:

2 T. low sodium soy sauce
2 t. cornstarch
1/2 c. sweet chili sauce (I used Taste of Thai brand)
2 t. sesame oil
1/2 t. ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

For cooking:

2 (.75 oz.) jars sesame seeds (about 1/2 c.)
2 t. sesame oil
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
8 oz. snow peas
White or brown rice for serving, if desired

For the chicken marinade:

In a medium bowl whisk together the soy sauce, cornstarch, egg white and sesame oil. Add the chicken to the bowl and allow to marinate for 15 minutes while you prep the sauce and veggies.

For the sauce:

In a medium bowl whisk together the soy sauce, cornstarch, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic and set aside.

For cooking:

Place the sesame seeds in a shallow dish (such as a pie plate). After the 15 minute marinating time is up remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off as much of the liquid as possible. Place the chicken in the sesame seeds and toss to coat the chicken. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and stir fry, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sesame seeds are browned. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the carrots and snow peas to the pan and stir fry for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken back to the pan then add the sauce and simmer for 2 more minutes. Serve immediately over rice, if desired.

5 servings (373 calories each serving excluding rice) according to my calculator on loseit.com