This easy stir fry chicken is super simple and done in 30 minutes. Leeks and sesame seeds turn this into a dish filled with flavor with only a few ingredients.
Photos Updated October 2014
Originally posted June 16, 2008 – As we head into the holiday season, I’m stock piling easy, no fuss dinner ideas. This Stir Fry Chicken recipe is one from the archives that I recently remade and re-fell in love with. Except for the leeks, I keep everything else on hand, so it’s a great go to recipe!
Do you remember back when I asked for your leek recipes? Well, if I was on top of it, I would have posted this recipe right after that post, with a follow up post shortly after on what I decided to do with the remaining leeks. But I’m not on top of it. In fact, I feel like I’m not on top of anything in my life lately. I keep thinking that things are going to slow down, but maybe that is just the nature of today’s world – too much to do and too little time!!
So it may be late, but here is my first recipe featuring leeks. I will post the second on Wednesday – and I did use one of the suggestions I received.
This recipes comes after trying to work my way through my cookbooks. Now that I am posting this recipe, I can cross another cookbook off the list!
Back in my single days, I didn’t really cook very often. I guess mainly because cooking for one is not as much fun as cooking for more than one. Plus, living with roommates, there is just not a lot of room to keep a decently stocked kitchen. Add to that the busier social calendar – meals just didn’t come out of my kitchen very often. But I’ve always been a sucker for a new cookbook. I didn’t have as many back then, but I would always go through the shelves at bargain stores like TJ Maxx and Ross. They were never well known cookbooks, but they were always filled with tons of pictures and lots of tasty sounding food. In fact, some of my favorite recipes have come from these cookbooks. This is one of those “bargain” cookbooks. I actually think I bought a copy of this chicken cookbook as a gift, but after looking through it, I decided that I wanted a copy of it for myself as well, so I went and bought another copy. And then there it sat. Another cookbook that I have looked through many times, but have never actually cooked out of. Well, that has now changed.
This is an easy and fast stir fry chicken recipe. And it got me to use an ingredient that wasn’t as familiar in my kitchen – the leek. The recipe says to serve with pasta or rice – we opted for some angel hair pasta, and it was perfect! I’m always looking for something different to do with chicken, and this stir fry chicken recipe is just that! We loved it!
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Stir Fry Chicken with Sesame and Leeks
Ingredients
- 1 leek
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- sliced green onions
Instructions
- Cut the leek in half lengthwise, then cut into half-moons, about 1/4 inch thick. Place the leeks in a large bowl of water and swish them around, letting the grit and dirt fall to the bottom of the bowl. Remove the leeks with a slotted spoon to a paper towel. Let drain and dry.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook until they are golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove to a bowl.
- Add the vegetable oil and sesame oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the skillet with the oils. Add the chicken in three batches, cooking until browned. Return all of the chicken to the skillet.
- Add the leek and the garlic to the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the leek is soft. Check the chicken to see if it is cooked through; if it is not, reduce the heat and cover the skillet and allow the chicken to cook until cooked through.
- Add the soy sauce, mirin and sugar to the chicken. Add the sesame seeds and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the green onions.
- I love to serve this over pasta, but it’s also great with rice.
Regina says
Wow Deborah, that looks so yummy. I’ve being following your blog for a while and I am always impressed by the recipes you post and buy your photos, I just love them.
Judy says
This sounds like a really good recipe! I’m going to have to try it. I’ll have to leave the mirin out though as I’m cooking for a recovering alcoholic.
Just one thing, I cook Asian fairly often & the sesame oil is meant to add flavor, not to cook with. It should be added right at the end along with the soy sauce etc.
Happy stir frying!
Dhanggit says
what a perfect combination, chicken, leek and sesame!! i love stir fry..i guess i really need to buy a wok to do magic like this!
Vicarious Foodie says
This dish looks really good! I too have cookbooks that are just sitting around without being used. I absolutely love flipping through them and looking at the recipes, but I rarely cook from them. I think I’m spoiled by the Internet. It’s so much easier to print a recipe and tape it on the cabinet while I’m cooking than it is to find room for a book on my already-too-small counter and worry about it getting splattered with grease or something.
Sophie says
leeks are so delicious and fresh…I only wish they weren’t so expensive around here!
RecipeGirl says
This looks like a great recipe. I’d have to make it when hubby is out of town as he flips out when I make things w/ sesame seeds in it (they get stuck in his precious teeth!)
KJ says
Looks delish. Yay for crossing off cookbooks!!!
kamailesfood says
Yay! Another recipe I can try in my wok. 🙂
Elle says
Hats off to you for going through the cookbooks…and this recipe is a lovely one, too. Leeks, chicken, sesame and stir-fry…great combo. Looking forward to future leek recipes.
Peabody says
Looks good I love sesame anything. I have a salmon and leek quiche over on NW Noshings if you still want leek recipes.
Kevin says
That looks good and sounds simple. I do not use leeks as often as I would like.
Mary says
This looks really yummy! I’m not too familiar with working with leeks, but I love sesame chicken so this one goes on the “to try” pile!
Jenny says
Hi Deborah,
I was just looking at some leeks at the Farmer’s Market thinking of what I could make, what a great looking recipe!
Emiline says
Yum. Asian food sounds really good right now.
Elle says
Looks great, and not to mention simple! I love good stir fry!
noble pig says
It sounds yummy, I’m going to have to try this one!