Country Kitchen (in the city) healthy delicious meal inspiration for everyone

15min-din: sesame lemon chicken with asparagus

After a long Monday at work, there’s nothing like a 15 minute dinner to make the night complete. This yummy dish takes about as long to make as a box of supermarket mac & cheese… and not only is it better for you, but it’s tasty!

What you will need: a couple of pans, vegetable peeler, ghee (or olive oil), asparagus, boneless skinless chicken breast, agave nectar, black sesame seeds, lemon, pepper, water.

Steam the asparagus in a deep lidded pan. Start by breaking off the tough end of the asparagus, and then, using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer skin off the bottom two inches of the stalk (notice in the picture below how the stalk looks yellowish at the bottom?). Add about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the pan, bring to a boil, add the asparagus and then put the lid on. Cook for 5 minutes, or so, depending on the thickness of the stalk. Gently jostle the pan once or twice during this time so they cook evenly. Asparagus should be crunchy and retain a dark green color. Overcooking makes for soggy veggies that loose their vitamin content into the water!

In the second pan, heat a teaspoon of ghee (or olive oil). Add chicken cutlets to the hot pan and cook until the edges of the chicken turn from pink to white (a few minutes). Flip and start cooking on the other side. After about a minute, toss a spoon full of black sesame seeds into the pan and gently fry with the chicken. Add some freshly ground pepper atop the cooking chicken. Turn the chicken over once or twice to lightly coat them in the seeds/pepper. Once the chicken is almost done cooking (no more pink) it is time for the finishing touches.

In a small cup or bowl combine 1/4 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of agave nectar. Mix well and then toss into the hot pan with the cooked chicken. Stir and flip the chicken once or twice while the mixture bubbles up and starts evaporating. Quickly squeeze the juice of one lemon all over the pan, turn off the heat and serve promptly.

sesame lemon chicken with asparagus

This is a great, quick, light and flavorful dish that you’ll spend as much time eating as you did cooking!! Since the weather is looking up here in NYC I prefer to spend more time outdoors than in my steamy hot kitchen, so look forward to more light and healthy 15min-din options. And since I’m often cooking for one, the leftovers are going to make an awesome salad to bring to work tomorrow!!

 

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