Diet and Nutrition

Asian Sesame Chicken with Mandarin Oranges and Pineapples

As the exciting summer months draw to a close, autumn becomes the time to fall back into healthy routines and give your body the attention it deserves. Fall also means exposing the body to illnesses it became unfamiliar with over the summer. By combining chicken with vitamin c-rich fruit, crunchy sesame seeds loaded with zinc, and an array of oriental spices, you can give your immune system the tasty boost it has been craving.

Ingredients

5 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup toasted sesame seeds, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 yellow onion, cut into wedges
1/2 cup green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 can of pineapple chunks, drained
1 can of mandarin oranges, drained
2 tablespoons low-sodium teriyaki sauce

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Place chicken into skillet, and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken, and set aside. Stir onion wedges and bell pepper slices into skillet; cook until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove, and set aside. Return chicken to skillet, and reduce heat to low. Mix in teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds, black pepper, Chinese five-spice powder, red pepper flakes, and honey; stir until sauce thickens. Return onion and bell pepper to the skillet and add the pineapple and mandarin chunks. Warm through, and serve with steamed brown rice.

Total: 4 servings, 1 serving w/o rice: 30.4 g of fat, 15 g of protein, 435.5 calories, 7.85 g of fiber, 30 g of carbohydrate

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Last Reviewed: Sep 27, 2011

James H Swain, PhD, RD, LD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University