The Home Cook: Baked Sesame Chicken

I know, I know! It's been ages. I had grand intentions of dragging you through my holiday prep right along with me but, as you can tell, it didn't happen. Not that I didn't holiday "do"...I just didn't holiday share. Boo on me.

So, besides not blogging, what I have been up to? Well Lemon Cookies, Peanut Butter Sweeties, Ice Box Cookies, Brown Sugar Toffee Cookies, Almond Bark Pretzels (and Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches), Chex Mix and, finally, Caramel Corn. And since I can't mail you each a little sampler, you'll just have to believe me...it's all delicious. And nearly gone. That's what happens when you have a peanut butter sweetie or an almond bark pretzel with your bowl of cereal in the morning.

But with all the baking, suppers have been a bit scarce. Or nonexistent. Your pick. Mostly because after baking for four solid evenings/days the drive to whip up something...anything, really just ain't happenin'. And while I haven't actually made it this week, the last time I was up to my eyeballs in stuff to do this recipe saved me from yet another night at the sub shop.



So Baked Sesame Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce...it's one of those recipes that is exactly what it says it is. Pieces of sesame breaded chicken with a spoon-over sweet and sour sauce. Serve it with some egg rolls or chive cream cheese wontons and you've got a super fast supper. The recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breast tenders and while that's good, spring for the extra 5-10 minutes of baking time for skinless chicken thighs. Yes, it's not as healthy but it's also so much better tasting.

Baked Sesame Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce
from Kikkoman

1/4 cup sesame seed, toasted
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Kikkoman Soy Sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (or skinless thighs)
1/3 cup Kikkoman Sweet & Sour Sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil

Preheat oven to 375ºF and line baking pan with foil; place oven-safe rack in pan.

Combine sesame seed, bread crumbs, onion powder and pepper in shallow pan or plate.

Melt butter and stir in soy sauce. Coat both sides of chicken, 1 piece at a time, with margarine mixture, then with sesame seed mixture. Arrange chicken, side by side, on rack in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until no longer pink in center.

Meanwhile, combine sweet & sour sauce, brown sugar and 3 Tbsp. water in small saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture boils. Remove from heat; stir in sesame oil. Serve sauce with chicken.