First Day Dinner: Hot Sesame Poppers
The boys are back to school, so a happy first-day dinner feels in order.
It’s poppers (the boys’ favourite) + sesame chicken for those who aren’t quite so heat-crazy. Crispy, sticky, sweet, with enough spice to keep the popper fans happy, but easy to tone down for everyone else.
Hot Sesame Poppers
Chicken
- 3–4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (chicken breast is on special at Savours right now!)
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- Oil, for sautéing
Sauce
- 1 cup water
- 2–3 Tbsp. sriracha or Frank’s RedHot
- 5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 frozen garlic cubes
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2–3 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp. cold water
- Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Sesame seeds, optional (black + white if you want to be fancy)
For serving
- Rice or mashed potatoes
- Steamed broccoli or green beans
Make it
In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, sriracha or Frank’s RedHot, soy sauce, garlic cubes, sugar, honey and sesame oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Stir it into the sauce and cook until thickened, then turn the heat down to low.
Toss the chicken pieces with ⅓ cup cornstarch until evenly coated.
Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté until golden on the outside and fully cooked through.
Pour the warm sauce over the chicken and toss until every piece is coated and sticky. Finish with crushed red pepper flakes and sesame seeds, if using.
Kid note: Start with 2 tablespoons of hot sauce for a sweeter, milder version. Anyone who wants more heat can add extra at the table.
Serve hot over rice or mashed potatoes, with steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.
Adapted from Creme de la Crumb’s Honey Sriracha Chicken.
Made it? Have a recipe you want to share with Toronto?
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