Sticky Sesame Worcestershire Chicken with Basmati Rice and Honey-Glazed Butternut

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Crumb coated chicken preparation

24 deboned chicken thighs

5 eggs

500g bread crumbs

250g sifted flour

A couple pinches of Maldon salt

2ml crushed pepper

5ml paprika

5ml crushed dried garlic

5ml dried parsley

50g sesame seeds

Olive oil for shallow frying

Sauce preparation

250ml Worcestershire sauce

50ml soya sauce

100ml honey

10g crushed garlic

10g crushed ginger

60g brown sugar

Starch preparation

1 large butternut

3 cups basmati rice

olive oil

pinch of salt

Method

Prepare the crumbing station

In a bowl, mix the sifted flour with the salt, pepper, paprika, crushed dried garlic, and dried parsley;

In a second bowl, beat the eggs together, once checked;

In a third bowl, combine the bread crumbs with sesame seeds.

Crumbing the chicken

Pat the deboned chicken thighs dry with paper towel;

Coat each thigh in the seasoned flour, making sure it’s fully coated;

Dip it into the egg mixture;

Then coat it in the bread crumb and sesame-seed mix, pressing gently to adhere well;

Set aside on a tray.

Shallow frying the chicken

Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat;

Shallow-fry the crumbed chicken in batches for five to six minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through;

Remove and drain on paper towels.

Sauce preparation

In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine Worcestershire sauce, soya sauce, honey, crushed garlic, crushed ginger, and brown sugar;

Stir and bring to a gentle simmer;

Cook for five to seven minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly;

Remove from heat and set aside;

Pour the sauce over the crumbed chicken when ready to serve.

Basmati rice preparation

Add one teaspoon of olive oil to a large pot;

Add 4.5 to five cups of water (for firmer rice) or up to six cups (for softer rice), and a pinch of salt;

Add the rice, stir once and bring to a boil, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the water is fully absorbed.

Honey-glazed butternut preparation

Preheat oven to 200°C;

Prepare the butternut buy cutting the butternut into 2cm cubes. Try cut them uniformly so they roast evenly. Season the butternut in a large bowl by adding olive oil, honey, salt, and any optional herbs or spices. Toss until evenly coated. Spread on a baking sheet;

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. You want the butternut to be golden brown, caramelised, and fork-tender. Drizzle with a bit more honey before serving.