Showdown: Third place.

It's "Showdown Week"!

Remember that silly little contest that I bugged you about for 2 weeks and then you voted like the awesome crockers you are and then I WON? Of COURSE you do. How could you forget? Your fingers are probably still a little cramped, yes? Sorry. And thank you (times a bazillion!) This week, I'm crocking the 4 recipes that made it into the final 4. (Don't act like you didn't see this theme week coming!) The 4 recipes that won their creators shiny new slow cookers and $150. My new crock pot arrived today and I CANNOT wait to test drive it tomorrow! Talk about nice timing!

I started with the recipe that landed in third place.

"Honey Sesame Chicken" (6 quart pot)

The original recipe is HERE.

~3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
~1 t salt
~1/2 t black pepper
~1/2 c honey
~1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
~2 T diced onion
~2 T ketchup
~1 T vegetable oil (I figured it was close enough to canola oil for government work)
~1 t garlic, minced
~1/4 t red pepper flakes
~2 t cornstarch
~3 T cold water
~1 t sesame seeds
~rice

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.
In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes.
Pour mixture over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.
Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of cold water and pour into crock pot.
Stir to combine with sauce.
Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes.
Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving.
Serve over rice.

4 servings.

This was delicious. I can see why it was in the final 4. It's sweet and tangy and just really, really good. I served it over chicken flavored rice-a-roni (thanks, Freecycle) because I was sick of seeing it staring at me every time I opened the pantry. I was going to serve it over plain old non-roni rice, but changed my mind at the last minute. I'm sure either way would be amazing.