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Vegan Sesame Chick’n with Fried Rice & Garlicky Greens

SERVES: 4–6 PREP: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

Vegan Sesame Chick’n with Fried Rice & Garlicky Greens

SERVES: 4–6 PREP: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

Make your own takeout! Hold the meat, but maximize the flavor.

Mastering your takeout favorites is an easy way to up your cooking skills and give your wallet a break. If you’re vegan and still crave Chinese American-style sesame chicken, or are just looking to go meatless once in a while, we’ve got you. This sesame chick’n has a shortcut of using your favorite vegan chicken nugget substitute as the base, then tossing with a sweet, tangy sauce that you’ll want to drizzle over everything…including the sides of veggie fried rice and garlicky stir-fried greens. This is equally great for a dinner party or meal prep, and everything can be done in one pan—we suggest Pepper’s favorite wok or a large skillet, wiping it out in between each dish. (Just cover and keep the other dishes warm while you wok ‘n’ roll.) Otherwise, you can use multiple pans to get it all done at once.

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INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

For the Vegan Sesame Chick’n

2 (13.5-ounce) packages vegan chick’n nuggets, such as Incogmeato
⅓ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 ½ tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

For the Vegetable Fried Rice:

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups small broccoli florets
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon water
4 cups leftover white rice
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tablespoons soy sauce

For the Greens, Pick One of the Following Options:

8 ounces spinach leaves, left whole (1 bag) OR
8 ounces lacinato or curly kale, stems removed and leaves torn into 1-inch pieces (1 bunch) OR
12 ounces bok choy, trimmed and sliced crosswise into ½-inch wide pieces (1 stalk) OR
10 ounces broccoli rabe, cut into bite-size pieces (1 bunch) OR
8 ounces Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves cut crosswise into ½-inch ribbons (2 bunches) OR
8 ounces collard greens, stems removed and leaves cut crosswise into ½-inch ribbons (1 bunch) OR
+ Mix-and-match with two types of greens, about 4 ounces of each (a little more if broccoli rabe or bok choy)

For the Garlicky Goodness:

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon organic light brown sugar (which is always vegan; you can use non-organic if you are not vegan)
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or Chili Garlic seasoning
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Start the sesame chick’n:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the vegan chick’n nuggets in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the vegan chick’n is heated through, about 15 minutes.

2. While the vegan chick’n is baking, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, cornstarch, and garlic in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Make the vegetable fried rice:

3. Heat oil in a wok (or large skillet) over medium. Add the broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, and water. Cover and steam, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender, 3–4 minutes.

4. Uncover and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir in the rice, green peas, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to crisp in spots, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Wipe out the wok so you can make the greens in the same pan without washing extra dishes, or grab another large skillet to make the greens.

For the greens:

5. Heat oil in a wok (or large skillet) over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in your green of choice.

6. Sprinkle the greens with salt, soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of water and cover the skillet with a lid or large sheet pan to allow the greens to quickly steam, about 1 minute, stirring once after 30 seconds. Remove the lid and finish cooking uncovered until the greens are just tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Finish with lemon juice. Remove the greens to a bowl and cover with aluminum foil and set aside. Wipe out the skillet once more so you can finish the sesame chick’n, or grab another large skillet.

Finish the sesame chick’n:

7. Heat the canola oil in a stainless steel wok (or large skillet) over medium-high. Add the vegan chick’n. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden on all sides, 3–4 minutes. Add the sauce and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and glazes the vegan chick’n, 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with the vegetable rice and garlicky greens.