Chicken and Sesame Broccolini with Crispy Shallots
“This is a light meal featuring the lovely flavour of sesame! The best part is the crispy shallots I scatter over at the end as they offer little textured bursts of sweetness. This dish can be served warm or at room temperature.” - Monya
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan-assisted) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Step 2
Season all sides of the chicken breasts with the ground ginger, garlic granules, salt, and pepper. Using clean hands, rub the seasoning in well (then wash your hands well after handling raw chicken).
Step 3
Place the chicken breasts on the tray and bake for 20-22 minutes. The timings will depend on their size and thickness. See my Helping Hand Tip for more info on this. Once done, set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Step 4
While the chicken cooks, heat all but a splash of the olive oil in a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring continuously until they crisp up and caramelise. This won’t take long, approx. 3-3.5 minutes. You want them to turn golden and sweeten, without darkening and turning bitter. Remove using a slotted spoon or spider strainer and transfer onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain off excess oil. This step will ensure the shallots remain crispy.
Step 5
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the broccolini (tenderstem broccoli), cooking for no longer than 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to stay warm.
Step 6
Arrange the broccolini on a salad platter and serve with the rested, sliced chicken. Whisk together the sesame oil, the remaining olive oil and rice wine vinegar and pour this over the whole lot. Finish with a scattering of sesame seeds and top with the crispy shallots. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
2 tsp Ground Ginger 1x Sainsbury's Ground Ginger 38g -
2 Echalions Shallots, peeled and very thinly sliced 1x Sainsbury's Echalion Shallots 400g -
1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar 1x Sainsbury's Rice Vinegar, Inspired to Cook 150ml -
4 Chicken Breasts, skinless and deboned 1x Sainsbury's British Fresh Chicken Breast Fillets Skinless & Boneless 1kg -
1 tsp Garlic Granules 1x Sainsbury's Garlic Granules 58g -
400g Tenderstem Broccoli, aka broccolini, trimmed of leaves and gnarly ends 2x Sainsbury's Tenderstem Broccoli 200g -
4 tbsp Olive Oil 1x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 1L -
2 tsp Sesame Seeds 1x Sainsbury's Sesame Seeds 50g -
2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil 1x Sainsbury's Sesame Oil, Toasted 250ml -
Maldon Salt, to taste 1x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g