Happy Valentine's Day!
Chicken Teriyaki
I love Chicken Teriyaki. The sauce has a sweet taste that melds so well with the chicken, vegetables and rice. It’s fancy enough for a romantic dinner for 2 on Valentine’s Day, great for a crowd around the table or for a weekday dinner for family.
Vary the vegetables or make it meatless, the Teriyaki Sauce is that good. Sprinkle the white and black same seeds for a simple but beautiful presentation. You can make this dish ahead, as it reheats well.
Add any leftovers to a green salad for a spectacular lunch or dinner. Recipe is below.
Foodie Lit
“I felt a deep sense of contentment and somewhere in the depths of my soul I knew that this was where I belonged, I had come home”, Lucy thought to herself.
Aunt Bea has left Lucy her home in a quaint English village. Lucy discovers that her aunt may not have died naturally and spends the year that she must live in this house if she is to inherit. Lucy falls in love with her aunt’s home as she unravels the mystery, with the help of a few ghosts.
And there is enough romance for the upcoming Valentine’s Day!
Chicken Teriyaki
Serves 6
2 tablespoons oil
8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned
1 red pepper, sliced thinly
3 pounds boneless chicken, breasts or thighs, diced
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
4 cups broccoli, cut into florets
2 cups brown rice
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
Teriyaki Sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water
-
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms and red pepper until mushrooms have released their liquid. Remove from skills and reserve.
-
Into same skillet, add 1/3 the chicken and more oil if needed. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Add the next third of the chicken repeating the process and then the last third.
-
Wisk together the ingredients of the teriyaki sauce. Pour over the chicken, add the green onions, lower the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken. Remove from heat.
-
Steam broccoli until just tender, about 5 minutes.
-
Follow directions for the brown rice, rinsing thoroughly before cooking. Drain when cooked al dente.
-
Sauté onions until soft. Add garlic and continue sautéing for 3 minutes. Add to rice. In same pot, toast almonds until slightly golden, about 3-4 minutes.
-
Arrange chicken, broccoli, red pepper and rice on platter. Sprinkle the chicken with the sesame seeds.
Expandthetable suggestions
Vegan: Substitute drained and chopped 2-3 blocks of tofu for chicken
Meatless Monday: Use 2-3 pounds salmon in place of chicken. Bake whole salmon in ½ the teriyaki sauce. Use the rest to pour over the salmon before serving.
Reduce the sugar: Use Stevia in place of honey.
Allium Free: Use a sliced fennel bulb in place of onion and garlic.
Vary the vegetables: Try sautéed mushrooms, grilled zucchini or acorn squash.
Make it hot! Add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the Teriyaki Sauce.
Leftovers: Add leftovers to a green salad. So good!