Recipe of the Day: Sesame Chicken a la Mode

Trying to figure out what to have for dinner one night, I made up this recipe. I call it Sesame Chicken a la Mode. A la mode originally meant “in the style of” and then it meant “on top of” (which is the way I’m using it), but most people think of it meaning “with ice cream”…. This is kind of a take on Beef Anyhow which is a take on Pork Inihaw, which I understand is a Filipino recipe. A friend gave me a recipe of Beef Anyhow 40 years ago.

Sesame Chicken a la Mode

5-8 chicken thighs

Mix 1/2 cup of soy sauce with a 1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar and 2 tbsp of brown sugar. Stir together and set aside.

Mix 1 cup flour, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder, a dash of cinnamon.

Dip chicken thighs into the soy sauce mixture and then in the flour mixture and place in one layer in a baking pan.

Cut up one whole onion into quarters and dip in the remaining soy sauce and place around the chicken thighs.

Bake at 375 for about 20-45 minutes, and then add a cup of water to slightly braise.

Cook up white rice according to package directions.

Shred half a head of iceburg lettuce.

Place a bed of lettuce on individual dinner plates.

Add a scoop of rice on top of the lettuce, and add some of the cooked onions on top of the rice.

Add a piece of the crispy cooked chicken on top of the rice and lettuce.

Add a dollop of sour cream, a quick splash of soy sauce (if you wish) and a some chopped green onions over the top of it all.

Serve with canned mandarin oranges.