Honey Sesame Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

My friends Janet and Bob were very creative with my birthday present this year.  Happy Birthday to Me  Janet put together a “dinner in a bag” package that contained two packages of instant brown rice and quinoa, a bottle of Pod & Bean Honey Sesame Sauce, a tin of Pod & Bean Sweet & Spicy Cocoa Rub, and the recipe.   I added chicken and the vegetables.  Dinner was delicious.  Believe it or not, I actually followed the recipe more or less to a T, (well as best as I could) which is so unheard of for me.  I still did make some minor changes, mainly because I did not have all the ingredients, nor did I have time to go to the store to get them before cooking dinner.  As I have always said, use what you have and don’t worry about the rest.  It will come out just fine, plus it will have a little of your own personality added as well.  Pod & Bean spices, seasonings and dressings all have a little something extra (chocolate) that really bring out and enhance the flavors of your food.  They go with just about everything.  And they follow my philosophy of trying out new ideas, being creative and just having fun in the kitchen.  The cocoa in POD & BEAN™ products is the X-factor ingredient that gives any dish that extra oomph – that added mmmm! Sweet, bitter, nutty, peppery, creamy, crunchy and always tasty, cocoa’s got it all and goes with just about everything. So, play with your food using our Sauces, Seasoning Blends, Mustards, Glazes, and more. We dare you.  – The Cocoa Exchange.  You can learn more about the Pod & Bean products by going to their website http://www.cocoaexchange.com.

Honey Sesame Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

1-1 1/2 lbs chicken breast

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP Pod & Bean Sweet & Spicy Cocoa Rub

1 cup broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper, medium dice

1 cup snap peas – I did not have snap peas, but I did have frozen peas

1 onion, medium dice

2 carrots, peels and sliced

1 cup Pod & Bean Honey Sesame Sauce

salt & pepper to taste

toasted sesames seeds

green onion, sliced

instant quinoa brown rice mixture

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 400* F.

Rub the chicken thoroughly with salt, pepper and the Pod & Bean Sweet & Spicy Cocoa Rub on both sides and rub in some olive oil.  Marinate the chicken for at least about 30-60 minutes before cooking.

Cut all the vegetables and toss them together with salt, pepper and about 1/2 cup of the Pod & Bean Honey Sesame Sauce.  

Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the same pan as the chicken.  Place the baking sheet in the hot oven for about 10-15 minutes, then stir the vegetables and turn the chicken over to continue cooking, for about another 20 minutes, or until the chicken is done and the vegetables are cooked.

The chicken and vegetables were all roasted together on the same pan.  Dinner was easy-peasy, delicious and clean-up was a breeze.   The chicken came out so tender and juicy.  I served the chicken atop the quinoa, brown rice and a little extra white rice that I had leftover.  I added more sauce to the chicken, then spooned the vegetables over the chicken as well.  I added a little sliced green onions and some toasted sesame seed on top for garnish, and finished the meal with a glass of rich, buttery chardonnay.  Delicious!