In college, my roommates and I wouldn’t think twice about ordering ‘Chinese’ take out. It was so easy! Our favorite place was just down the road, but of course we had them deliver it anyway. So we’d give them a call and 15 minutes later {give or take 5 minutes depending on if the dogs got out when the delivery guy showed up}, we’d be sitting down with our delicious, delicious General Tso’s, Mongolian beef, or sesame chicken… and a boat load of white rice… and maybe a egg roll or two. As good as it was though, we knew it wasn’t good for us.

About a month after I got to Germany, I started really craving some sesame chicken. The thought of trying to decipher German with a Chinese accent on the phone to order take out was just too much, but out of that moment of punking out came a wonderful discovery.

There are so many reasons to make your take out ‘Chinese’ yourself. Its not hard. {Okay. Its harder than it being delivered to your door, but technically speaking, its really not difficult to make.} It takes 30 minutes tops, it’s cheaper, and, most importantly, it’s so much healthier!

Sesame Chicken

{adapted for two from Slender Kitchen}

The Sauce
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
3/4 cup chicken stock

The Rice
1 tsp olive oil
1 egg
1 heaping cup of brown rice
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

The Goods
2 chicken breasts
pinch of salt
a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp coconut oil
whatever veggies you have on hand {I’ve used finely diced zucchini and onions and broccoli all with good results.}
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.  Start heating an oven-safe pan on medium heat and a medium size pot on high heat.  Boil your jug too.

While all of that is heating up, grab a bowl and whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce.

Then we’ll get the rice started.  Measure the water from the jug and add it to your pot.  Once its boiling, throw your salt and rice in and give it a stir.  Lower the heat to medium and set your timer.  Cook according to the package instructions {usually 25-30 minutes for brown rice}.

In the pan, heat the olive oil and crack your egg.  Scramble for a couple minutes until its cooked through.  Put the cooked egg in a separate bowl and set aside.  Return pan to the heat.

Cut your chicken into bite sized bits and add it to a bowl.  Add the salt, pepper, and flour and let sit for a minute while you chop your veggies.  Add the coconut oil to the hot pan and add your chicken and veggies.  Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until the chicken has turned light brown.  Pour the sauce in the pan and transfer the pan to the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes.

When it’s finished baking, take it out and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve the chicken over the rice and be proud you didn’t order take out!