Description
This Sesame Chicken with Green Beans and Rice is a delicious and well-balanced meal featuring tender chicken breasts seared to perfection and tossed in a flavorful honey-soy sesame sauce. Paired with sautéed green beans and fluffy white rice, this dish combines savory, sweet, and nutty flavors for a satisfying home-cooked meal that’s quick and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Vegetables
- 2 cups green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Rice
- 1/2 cup white rice
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Begin by gathering all the ingredients: two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic, fresh ginger, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, green beans, olive oil, white rice, water, salt, and pepper.
- Rinse Rice: Rinse the rice under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear to remove excess starch for even cooking.
- Cook Rice: Place rinsed rice in a medium saucepan, add one cup of water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer Rice: Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Prepare Chicken: If chicken breasts are thick, slice them horizontally to create thinner pieces for quicker and even cooking.
- Season Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Heat Sesame Oil: Heat one tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and coating the pan.
- Sear Chicken: Add the chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar. Stir well until honey dissolves.
- Simmer Sauce: Remove chicken and add the sauce to the same skillet. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Trim Green Beans: Trim the ends of the green beans and set aside.
- Heat Olive Oil: In a separate pan, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
- Sauté Green Beans: Add green beans and sauté for 4-5 minutes until bright green and tender but still slightly crisp.
- Remove Green Beans: Take green beans off the heat and set aside.
- Coat Chicken in Sauce: Return chicken to the skillet sauce and toss to coat evenly.
- Toss Green Beans with Chicken: Add the cooked green beans back to the skillet, toss to combine and heat through.
- Add Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle one tablespoon of sesame seeds over chicken and green beans before serving.
- Fluff Rice: Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and serve it alongside the sesame chicken and green beans.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste and add more salt or pepper as desired.
- Serve: Serve immediately while hot, garnished with additional sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy your meal!
Notes
- For quicker cooking, slice the chicken breasts thinly to reduce cook time.
- Rinsing rice is important to remove excess starch for fluffier rice.
- You can substitute green beans with snap peas or broccoli for variation.
- If you prefer less sweetness, adjust honey amount to taste.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce salt content if desired.
- Make sure to cook chicken fully until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for safety.
- Leftover rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Garnish with chopped green onions or chopped cilantro for additional flavor.
