Sesame Ginger Chicken Bowl (Ina Garten)

Ina Garten's latest cookbook came out a few weeks ago.  It's is entitled "Simply Ina." 

This is the first recipe we've tried.  Day of, around noon, Tom prepped the chicken and marinated it.  At dinnertime, I cooked.  It came out pretty well, but I had to adapt.  I would not call this dish easy but it is very good and we will make it again.  

The biggest issue I had was browning the chicken and reducing the amount of liquid which came off of the marinated chicken.  Although we had more chicken than her recipe called for (2.2 lbs vs. 1.5 lbs), the skillet was a little crowded but I don't think that was the real reason.  It's because I couldn't drain off the marinade... and ended up steaming the chicken... then having to spend 20 minutes more to reduce the liquid in the skillet until it became a thick dark brown sauce to coat the chicken.  Next time, I will take all of the chicken out of the marinade, pat it dry, then brown it.  Remove it.  Add the marinade, reduce it and then put it all back together to coat the chicken at the end. 

Maybe I missed something in her directions, but that's what happened when I made it.  The flavors are very good.  So, it is worth trying again.  

Her recipe was a little confusing so I rewrote the ingredients list and the directions to make it easier to follow next time.  

---Barbara

Sesame Ginger Chicken Bowl  

(adapted from Ina Garten's Simply Ina cookbook)

Serves 4

For the chicken marinade:

3 T. soy sauce

2 T. maple syrup

3 T. rice vinegar

2 T. toasted sesame oil

1.5 t. peeled, grated fresh ginger

4 large garlic cloves, grated

1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1 t. salt 

1.5 - 2.5 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch dice

For the cucumber salad:

1 hot house cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds

1/2 cup diced scallions (or shallots, thinly sliced)

2 T. rice vinegar

1.2 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly grated pepper

For the saute:

2 T. canola oil

For garnish:

Toasted sesame seeds

For the rice:

1 cup jasmine or basmati rice, cooked per directions

In a large glass bowl with a lid, combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 t. salt.  Add the cubed chicken, stir well, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 6 hours, stirring every so often.  

Prepare the cucumber salad by slicing the cucumber, adding salt and pepper, dousing the slices with the rice vinegar, adding the scallions or sliced shallots, then tossing well.  Set aside.

Prepare the rice per the package directions.

Heat the oil in a large skillet until shimmering.  

Her directions: Using a slotted spoon, lift the chicken from the marinade and add it carefully to the skillet.  Let it sit to brown for 2 minutes, then flip each piece over and cook another 2 minutes.  Then add the marinade to the pan, lower the heat, and cook stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is reduced.   (see my notes in intro.  This is did not work for me.)

Serve with hot rice in a bowl with hot chicken, sauce, and cucumbers on top.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt, if needed.  

B