Chicken To Share

About 25+ years ago, my husband Randy and I, were at dinner with some great friends at an Asian restaurant in Beverly Hills.  We hadn’t seen each other in several months, so as often happens, we were much more intent on catching up with each other than on reviewing the menu and selecting our dinner choices.
After the server had been to our table 3 times to check if we were ready to order, we decided we needed to curb our conversation long enough to make our decisions.  This particular restaurant encouraged ordering and serving family style, so that everyone got to taste a little of everything ordered.  We decided we could each pick our favorite entree for the table.  When the server returned for the 4th time a bit impatient with us, she looked at my husband who deferred to me, to order my selection for the table.  I ordered by saying, “We’ll have  an order of broccoli beef.”  Leesa hadn’t made up her mind, so she asked my husband to go ahead and order. So from there the server just went around the table to take orders and both my husband and our friend, Denny, ordered as I had done saying “We’ll have_____”.  Finally, she turned to Leesa, who was clearly still trying to make up her mind.  After a VERY long pause, both the waitress’s impatience, and the tension as a result, were palpable.  Leesa blurted out “OK I’ll have the Sesame Chicken!”  Without missing a beat the waitress snapped back with a very thick Chinese accent “Don’t you share?!!!”  She was clearly appalled that Leesa would dare to say “I’ll have” as though she was planning to order something only for herself.

It was one of those totally silly moments were something strikes you so funny you just can’t contain yourself.  All four of us burst into uncontrollable laughter.  The phrase “Don’t you share?!” has become a permanent part of our friendship and extended to our families as well.  We’ve known each other since we were kids.  We’ve been friends for almost 50 years but it never fails when we are together that someone will have some reason to come out with, “Don’t you share?!!”

The Sesame Chicken, by the way, was a hit and it didn’t take long for me to work on a version of it I could make at home.  Here is my take on that dish.  I hope you’ll try it and of course, share it with family or friends.

Enjoy 🙂

Honey Sesame Chicken with Fried Rice

6-8 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
1 /2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sherry
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Cut chicken breasts or thighs in half and place in baking dish.  Put the rest of the ingredients in the blender and mix well.  Pour over the chicken.

Turn each piece of chicken so that they are covered in the sauce.  Allow chicken to sit in marinade for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in the oven for 30 minutes, turning chicken over once half way through cooking.

Remove chicken from baking dish and pour sauce remaining in baking dish into a sauce pan.  Cook the sauce until it begins to thicken slightly.  Pour over chicken and serve with Fried Rice.

Fried Rice

6 cups water
3 cups rice (I prefer brown rice but white works just as well)
1 teaspoon salt

1/2-1 pound thick cut bacon
3-4 eggs
1 bunch green onions
approximately 1/4 cup soy sauce

Cook rice in a pan on the stove over a medium-low flame, 40 minutes for brown rice and 20 minutes for white rice, or use an electric rice cooker.

While the rice is cooking, cut bacon into strips and slice green onions on the diagonal.

Fry  the bacon in a deep pan until crisp.  Remove the  bacon to drain on paper towels.

Reserve the drippings.  While the bacon drippings are still hot, add eggs and cook until they begin to shred apart.

Immediately add the cooked rice to the pan and then the green onions.

Stir well and add approximately 1/4 cup soy sauce….more or less according to your own tastes.

Add bacon and serve with chicken….yum!