Teriyaki Chicken with Sesame Asparagus Stir Fry

Have you ever wondered what I do with the remaining portions of raw ingredients that do not show up in a following post? I think solving that dilemma was critical to success when cooking for one – menu planning. It is easy enough to know that even moderate amounts (like one pound of ground beef) needs to be split into two or three (preferable) portions for different meals. But what about vegetables like bundles of asparagus, half peppers and half onions, half cans of diced tomatoes, etc? Typically I create a weekly menu and shop for the ingredients needed for those meals. I construct the menu so that I can make dishes that use partial amounts to reduce waste, but avoid stagnation in dishes. Well, this post should help to shed some light on this aspect of menu planning and hopefully shows you how I enjoy some similar ingredients without having eat the same dish repeatedly during the week. The real focus of this post is the asparagus, which I used recently with the Tortellini with Basil Sherry Cream Sauce . (Psst, I am tinkering with that sauce by the way… stay tuned for an update to that post!) This meal is my idea of fast food – in the time it takes to cook the rice in a rice cooker, you have most of the work done. Want to know more? Good, I know you do, so keep reading below!

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Teriyaki Chicken with Sesame Togarishi Asparagus Stir Fry

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

Teriyaki Chicken

1 chicken breast, approximately 6 - 8 oz, sliced in half into 2 thin cutlets
¼ cup Tabasco Spicy Teriyaki Sauce
1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Chinese rice cooking wine
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil

Sesame Asparagus Stir fry

4 oz asparagus, woody bottoms removed and cut into 1½ inch lengths
½ oz dried oyster mushrooms
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp peanut oil
¼ tsp togarishi shichimi Optional but strongly advised!)

Garnish (optional)

sesame seeds
scallions
sriracha
sambal

Instructions

Preparation

Place the dried oyster mushrooms into a small bowl and pour 1 cup (maybe more, maybe less) boiling (or near boiling) water over top.
Steep the mushrooms for 20 to 30 minutes until softened.
Whisk the teriyaki ingredients (minus the chicken) together in a small glass bowl.
Add the chicken and turn to coat, set aside for 20 minutes.
Be sure to turn the chicken in the bowl halfway through the marination.
During this time, prepare the rice, asparagus, and other ingredients.
When the chicken has been marinating for 20 minutes and the mushrooms have softened, drain the mushrooms and heat the grill to High.
Be sure to clean and oil the grill to prevent sticking.

Cooking the chicken

Place each chicken cutlet over High heat and allow to cook on the first side at least 3 minutes.
Pour half the remaining marinade over each piece.
Turn onto a new section of grill and repeat with the remaining marinade.
Grill for another 3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees or so (the chicken will carry over after being removed while resting).
Remove to a cutting board and tent lightly to keep warm.

Stir frying the asparagus and mushrooms

Heat a small wok or skillet over High/Medium/High heat.
Add the peanut oil and when it shimmers, add the asparagus, tossing to coat well with the oil.
Toss every 30 seconds or so for about 2 to 3 minutes until the asparagus begins to turn brighter green.
Add the softened mushrooms to the stir fry and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned and the asparagus is bright green.
Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle togarishi over top, tossing to distribute evenly.

Putting it together