Orange Sesame Chicken

*recipe & photo adapted from Melissa D'Arabian

i happened to catch a new cooking show, ten dollar dinners, on food network last week & fell in love with this recipe. melissa d'arabian made cooking sesame chicken seem so simple. and since i keep going back to try my hand at asian cooking, usually to toss it out, sometimes to try to soy-sauce it to death to enjoy it, this recipe seemed too easy to not try.

and i'm happy to report, it was great! tossed with edamame, broccoli, asian noodles & soy, it was the perfect meal in a bowl.

{orange sesame chicken}

ingredients {in order of use}

*serves 2-4

• 6-8 chicken tenders
• 2 tablespoons orange marmelade
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 {1/4 teaspoons} garlic powder, divided
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons low-calorie butter, melted

1. pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray & set aside.

2. cut the chicken tenders into 1-inch cubes & toss into a medium bowl. add orange marmalade, soy, white wine, red pepper flakes & 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. mix to coat evenly & set aside to marinate anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours.

3. when ready to cook, add flour, other 1/4 teaspoon garlic & sesame seeds to a small bowl & mix. drain the chicken in a strainer to remove excess marinade & blot with a paper towel. loosely toss chicken in the flour {it doesn't have to be evenly coated} & place on greased baking sheet. drizzle with butter.

4. cook for 20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is crispy. enjoy over warm rice or veggies!