Crisp cucumber salad with fried sesame chicken
Often, just a handful of good basic ingredients are enough to bring a truly exciting dish to the table. The combination of cool vegetables and warm, flavorful meat makes this recipe an ideal choice for an evening meal. You don't need a lot of preparation time or have to spend hours at the stove.
- 600g chicken breast fillets
- 15 g ginger (fresh)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1/2 bunch of spring onions
- 2 organic limes
- 2 Salad gherkins
- 2 tbsp soy sauce 🛒
- 4 EL Kill
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (white)
- 1 TL Honig
- 1 pinch of salt
- 30 g roasted peanuts (roughly chopped)
- Wash the chicken breast, pat it dry with kitchen paper and slice it.
- Peel the ginger and dice it finely. Peel the garlic and press or chop it finely. Halve the chili pepper, remove the seeds, and cut it into thin rings.
- Wash the spring onions, remove the root ends and cut them into thin rings.
- Halve the limes and squeeze out the juice.
- Wash the cucumbers, halve them lengthwise and cut them into thin slices using a vegetable peeler.
- In a bowl, mix the chicken breast with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oil, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic and honey, and let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
- Heat a pan on the highest setting and fry the sesame chicken in it for about 6 minutes until golden brown on all sides.
- In another bowl, mix the cucumber slices with the chili, 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, salt and lime juice.
- Arrange the cucumber salad on plates and place the sesame chicken on top. Sprinkle everything with the fresh spring onions and chopped peanuts.
Cucumber salad with sesame chicken brings freshness and spice to the plate.
The first step to a flavorful result is the marinade for the chicken breast fillets. Mix together a robust base of soy sauce and oil, then add sesame seeds, fresh ginger, garlic, and a touch of honey. The honey adds a subtle sweetness and will later caramelize beautifully during frying. Thoroughly coat the chicken in the mixture to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed. Then, fry the chicken in a pan until golden brown on all sides. Be sure to use medium heat. Because the marinade contains honey and sesame seeds, it can burn relatively quickly at high temperatures. Moderate heat allows the meat to cook evenly and develop a wonderful crust.
While the meat sizzles in the pan, turn your attention to the vegetables. Grab a regular vegetable peeler and peel the cucumbers lengthwise into thin strips. These thin slices create a much larger surface area than thick pieces, meaning the cucumber strips will absorb the dressing much better. For the sauce, combine some oil with soy sauce, lime juice, a pinch of salt, and a little chili. The acidity of the lime balances the saltiness of the soy sauce and gives it a refreshing kick. You can adjust the spiciness of the chili to your liking. Gently toss the cucumber strips in the dressing to prevent them from breaking.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and let it rest for a moment. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you cut into it immediately, a lot of liquid will escape and the meat will dry out more quickly.
Arrange the lukewarm chicken pieces on the marinated cucumber bed. For the finishing touch, sprinkle fresh spring onion rings and coarsely chopped peanuts over the plate. The nuts add a wonderful crunch that goes perfectly with the soft cucumber strips and tender meat. This cucumber salad with sesame chicken is a real lifesaver, especially on busy weekdays. You bring a lot of flavor to the plate with minimal effort and demonstrate just how versatile a seemingly simple vegetable can be.
Craving more? Then enjoy the warm chicken piccata salad with an Italian flair. Discover the fresh and crisp variety of Vietnam with Gỏi Gà. Or let the chicken tandoori salad with yogurt-mint dressing transport you to India.
