Coated in crunchy sesame sticks and baked on a sheet pan, this sesame crusted chicken is simple and so flavorful served with creamy apricot mustard!
You guys, it has been so hard for me to get back in the writing groove since I took a little blogging hiatus for January and February. I’ve got lots of ideas and I’ve been working hard on improving my photography, but for some reason sitting down to write is just hard.
Life works in seasons, and honestly, this season is just kind of a tough one for me, for reasons that aren’t really mine to name. I’m okay, Philip’s okay…we’re good, we’re great, but I’m tired. And unfortunately, when you’re tired, your side hustle is the thing that kind of gets overlooked a little bit. I’m regrouping, though, and I think I’m almost there.
Another thing that is really easy to let go when life is tough is cooking. Yep, even for food bloggers. There are a lot of nights that I just don’t want to cook. A new pizza place opened near our house and we’ve eaten there once a week since they opened (I promise to write about it soon). It’s given me more reason to work on meals that don’t require a ton of thought or effort…that aren’t tacos or spaghetti.
I posted on my personal Facebook page a while back about my writer’s block and also about my obsession with sesame sticks, the super crunchy, savory little sticks sold in produce departments and served on salad bars. One of my friends suggested I write about them. And honestly, I could write a manifesto about sesame sticks, because ever since I discovered them on the salad bar at Chuck E. Cheese’s, I have been in love.
Turns out that sesame sticks are the perfect coating for crispy chicken. This sesame crusted chicken is coated in a simple breading of flour, egg, and crushed sesame sticks and bake-fried on a super-hot pan in a super-hot oven. It turns out so crispy without the need for frying, and because the sesame sticks are so savory there’s no need for much seasoning. The whole thing comes together in 10 minutes and bakes in 20. Served with some Instant Pot stick of butter rice (recipe coming soon) and a sweet and creamy apricot mustard, this crunchy sesame crusted chicken is perfect for a don’t-feel-like-cooking night.
Shared on Meal Plan Monday on Southern Plate!
Mary
Yield: 4 chicken thighs
10 minPrep Time:
20 minCook Time:
30 minTotal Time:
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sesame sticks (I buy these from the produce section of my grocery store, where nuts, seeds, and dried fruit are stored)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- salt and pepper
- 4 chicken thighs, trimmed (about 1 pound)
- olive oil spray
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot jam, mayo, and mustard. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Place a sheet pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°.
- Crush the sesame sticks to fine crumbs in a food processor or in a sandwich bag using a malled or rolling pin. Place in a plate or large bowl. In another large bowl, place the flour and season it lightly with salt and pepper. Place the beaten egg in a third bowl.
- Place the chicken on a cutting board and cover with heavy plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or heavy skillet to pound the chicken to an even thickness.
- Dip each piece of chicken first in flour, then egg, then sesame stick crumbs.
- Spray a sheet pan with olive oil spray. Place the breaded chicken on the sheet pan and spray the top with olive oil spray. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately with apricot mustard for dipping.
Notes
The mustard sauce has a very faint apricot flavor. For a stronger apricot flavor, increase the amount of apricot jam to 1 cup. To reheat leftovers, preheat a sheet pan to 400°. Heat the chicken on the sheet pan for 10 minutes, flipping once during cooking.
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