Friday Night Dinner

I know in my last Friday night dinner post I mentioned that I rarely cook on Friday nights.  However, we had already eaten out three nights last week, so I really thought we needed a home cooked meal.  I don't have anything against eating out, but I get tired of it and I had bought all those groceries last week.

We love Pei Wei.  Michael especially loves their honey seared chicken.  Imagine my excitement when I came across for a honey chicken recipe that's similar to that at Pei Wei.  The biggest difference is the chicken isn't fried before being put in the sauce.  The other great part about this recipe is that it can be cooked either in the oven or in the crock pot.  I did it in the oven because, go figure, I got busy with the girls and forgot about dinner.  I was also almost able to throw this dinner completely together in the time it takes one of the girls' bottles to warm.  (4 1/2 minutes for those that might be wondering.)  I served the chicken over brown rice.  Yes, my little picky eater prefers brown rice to white rice.  I'll put that in the win column.

For my friends in Midland, anyone that can get me a knock off recipe of Kuo's honey chicken will have my undying gratitude forever.  I love and miss that stuff.

Want to see the original recipe?  Find it here.

Honey Seared Chicken:

3/4 pounds chicken (I used chicken breast.  You use whatever you like.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp back pepper
1/2 cup honey  (Get the real stuff.  Not the fake stuff they sell at the grocery store.)
1/8 cup chopped onion or 1/16 cup onion flake  (I used the flake.  Less clean up and no tears.)
1/8 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce  (Use the light for less sodium,  Your heart will thank you.)
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Slow Cooker Directions:  Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into slow cooker.  In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low for three hours or high for  for 1 1/2 hours.  Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Return to pot and toss with sauce.

Oven Directions:  Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Place in an 8X8 pan.  Combine all other ingredients.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Stir to be sure chicken is coated.  Bake at 350* for 20-30 minutes uncovered. Stir again after 10 minutes.

Serves 2

Something I would do differently the next time I fix this is to take the sauce after cooking the chicken, make a slurry out of corn starch and water and thicken it on the stove top.