Best Cold Weather Comfort Food Sesame Chicken Recipes

Cold Sesame Chicken image

Provided by David Tanis

Time 1h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

6 bone-in chicken legs, drumettes or boneless thighs (about 4 pounds)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
2 whole scallions
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, cut into 4 thick slices
2 star anise pods
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons crushed roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 or 2 thinly sliced serrano chiles (optional)
Cilantro sprigs
3 or 4 scallions, thinly sliced
Tender mustard greens or lettuce leaves (optional)

Steps:

Season chicken with salt and sprinkle with five-spice powder, rubbing seasoning into the flesh.
Transfer chicken to a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add 4 to 6 cups water, just to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a bare simmer. Add scallions, ginger slices, star anise and turmeric. Simmer very gently until tender, about 45 minutes.
Remove chicken to cool on a baking sheet. (For faster cooling, submerge chicken in ice water.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
Make the glaze: Put soy sauce, sugar, cayenne, garlic, toasted sesame oil, ginger and 1/2 cup cooking liquid in a shallow saucepan or small skillet over medium-high heat. Simmer rapidly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Chop bone-in chicken into 1-inch chunks with a sharp cleaver or large chef's knife. (Remove bones before chopping, if preferred. If using drumettes or boneless thighs, leave whole.) Arrange chicken on a serving platter.
Brush glaze onto the meat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and peanuts. Add chiles (if using), cilantro and scallions. Surround with mustard greens or lettuce leaves, if using. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Smoked Chicken image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

12 ounces ramen noodles (four 3-ounce bundles; see Cook's Note)
2 bunches scallions
1/4 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup shoyu, soy sauce or black garlic soy
About 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
1 to 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root (about a 2-inch piece)
2 large cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chili paste or sauce, such as sambal olek or sriracha, plus more for serving if desired
1 tablespoon pourable light brown sugar
1/2 seedless cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, thin julienne
3 cups smoked chicken, rotisserie chicken or plant-based grilled chicken, thinly sliced or pulled (about 12 ounces; see Cook's Note)
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Steps:

Bring a pot with 3 to 4 quarts water to a boil for ramen or thin spaghetti. If using thin spaghetti, you'll need baking soda as well (see Cook's Note). Ramen does not require salt to be added into water.
Take 4 scallions and trim, cut into thirds and slice lengthwise; put in ice cold water to curl the scallions. Thinly slice the remainder of the 2 bunches on a bias and reserve.
For dressing, in a food processor, combine tahini paste, shoyu or soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, mirin, toasted sesame oil, ginger, garlic, chili paste or sauce and light brown sugar. Process sauce until smooth and add a splash of bottled or filtered water if necessary to thin--sauce should be creamy but pourable. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Drop ramen or pasta into boiling water and cook ramen 4 minutes (thin spaghetti about 6 minutes). Drain and cold rinse, then drain again. Toss ramen with sauce, sliced scallions, three-quarters of the cucumbers and three-quarters of the chicken. Drain scallion curls. Arrange noodles in shallow bowls and top with scallion curls, remaining chicken and cucumbers, lots of sesame seeds and a few dollops of chili paste if desired.

Cold Weather Comfort Food: Sesame Chicken image

Provided by Andy Anderson ! @ThePretentiousChef

Categories Chicken

Number Of Ingredients 17

PLAN/PURCHASE
THE SAUCE
1/4 cup(s) dark brown sugar, packed
2.5 - 3 tablespoon(s) flour, all purpose variety
2 cup(s) chicken stock, not broth
1/4 cup(s) white rice or sushi vinegar
2 tablespoon(s) tamari sauce
2 tablespoon(s) sesame oil
2 teaspoon(s) chili paste
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
2 tablespoon(s) toasted sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper flakes (for heat) optional
THE CHICKEN
1 large egg
2 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces, about 1 pound
2 tablespoon(s) sesame oil

Steps:

PREP/PREPARE
THE SAUCE
Gather your ingredients.
In a large (non-reactive) bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce, and reserve.
Chef's Note: The traditional way to make this is with cornstarch; however, I like the depth the flour gives to the sauce.
Chef's Tip: If you want to add an additional layer of flavor to this dish, toast the flour in a dry pan over medium heat, before adding it to the other ingredients.
THE CHICKEN
Gather your ingredients.
Take a medium bowl, and whisk together the egg and cornstarch.
Add the cut up chicken, and toss to evenly coat with the mixture.
Add the sesame oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.
When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken.
Chef's Tip: Shake off any excess egg before placing into the pan.
Keep the pan active (stirring) while the chicken is cooking.
Cook until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to brown.
Add the reserved sauce to the skillet, and turn the heat down to medium low.
Continue to cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Serve over some long-grain white rice, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and maybe a fortune cookie on the side. Enjoy
Keep the faith, and keep cooking.