Sesame Chicken

Don't let the name fool you - this isn't the red lacquered looking dish you order from your local Chinese restaurant. This chicken dish is a whole different beast. Poached chicken breasts are combined with an Asian-styled peanut and sesame dressing, spiced with hot chili pepper oil and topped with refreshing crunchy cucumber slices. You can make this dish gluten-free by using tamari in place of soy sauce and if possible, used reduced sodium soy sauce (or tamari) to help control your sodium intake. Consider passing toasted sesame seeds at the table to sprinkle on top of the chicken for extra flavor.

Sesame Chicken

3 bone-in chicken breast halves (with skin)

¼ cup tahini or Smuckers Natural creamy peanut butter

2 - 3 tbsp. toasted sesame oil (enough to liquify the tahini or peanut butter)

2½ tbsp. light soy sauce (or reduced sodium tamari)

1 tbsp. white vinegar

½ - 1 tbsp. hot chili pepper oil, or to taste

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger

1 scallion, finely chopped

1 medium cucumber, halved, seeded and cut diagonally into ¼” slices

In a large pot, bring 16 cups water to a rolling boil. Add the chicken breasts and cook until no longer pink, around 8 - 10 minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool.

Thoroughly combine in a medium bowl the tahini (or peanut butter), sesame oil, soy sauce (or tamari), vinegar, hot chili oil, sugar, ginger and scallion. Remove the bones from the cooled chicken breasts. By hand, tear the chicken meat along the grain to make rough shreds 2½" long by ½" thick. Place in a serving bowl. Pour the sesame paste over the chicken shreds and mix thoroughly to coat.

Place the cucumber on a small plate. To serve, pile the cucumber slices on top of the chicken and serve.

If desired, cover the chicken and cucumbers separately and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Bring both the chicken and cucumber to room temperature before serving.

Serves 4

NOTE:  You can substitute Sriracha or sambal oelek if you can't get hot chili pepper oil. Start with a teaspoon of either of these to start and add more, to taste.

If you use the natural peanut butter, you may not need the full amount of sesame oil to liquify the peanut butter. Start off with 1 tbsp. sesame oil and add as needed.