Thursday, January 13, 2011

Sesame Seed Chicken

You know when you're a kid and you have those same handful of favourite meals that you ask for over and over again, that you never seem to get sick of? For most kids that seems to be pizza, Kraft dinner, and even cereal, but for me it was always Sesame Seed Chicken. I remember whenever I would have friends over for dinner, I would always request Sesame Seed Chicken so that I could impress them with a delicious meal (that, at the time, I had no role in preparing). I even remember my friends parents calling up my mom to ask for the recipe, because they couldn't believe how their children had raved about this chicken (Sam Young I'm talkin' about you!). What really amazed me was that just about any time I would ask to have Sesame Seed Chicken for dinner, my request would be granted! It can baffle a child's mind that something you like so much can actually be something you can get just about whenever you want it! I mean, whenever I wanted cotton candy I would never get that for dinner. So how come Sesame Seed Chicken?

The truth is Sesame Seed Chicken is incredibly easy to make, requires very few ingredients, is inexpensive, a good source of protein, and...well, it tastes pretty damn good so my parents didn't mind having it over and over again either. Just like your average chicken fingers, Sesame Seed Chicken features moist and tender chicken on the inside, with a light and crunchy breading on the outside. My chicken is given a twist with the nutty flavour of sesame seeds shining through every bite, a simple addition that changes the dish entirely!

Tip: To make this dish healthier, bake your chicken strips in the oven as opposed to frying them!

Ingredients:
24 Ritz crackers
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
dash of paprika
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 egg plus 2 tbsp water
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
oil for frying

Directions:
1. In a food processor, pulse together the crackers with salt, pepper, and paprika to make fine crumbs. Stir in the sesame seeds. Transfer to a flat plate.

2. Beat the egg with the water and transfer to a flat plate.

3. Cut chicken into strips, about 1 1/2 inches wide. The size and shape doesn't have to be exact, just try to make each piece similar so that they all fry (or bake) at the same time.

4. In a large frying pan or griddle, heat a generous layer of oil at medium heat.

5. Dip and coat the chicken strips in the egg mixture, then dip and coat in the crumb mixture (keep one hand clean so you can ensure there is no cross contamination!). Brown strips in hot oil in batches (making sure not to crowd the pan), for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels, and serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

Listening To:
Metronomy - On Dancefloors

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2 comments:

redkathy said...

Feed the kids fast, something healthy, and they love it too this is most definitely a winner! Funny how we recall the finest food memories isn't it?

Arlene Delloro said...

I'm a big kid, too, when it comes to any variation on chicken fingers and this is a yummy looking one.