Crockpot Sesame Honey Chicken

I've been giving my crockpot a workout lately, trying to prepare meals that are simple and yummy without spending all my time slaving away in the kitchen. This recipe fits the bill perfectly. I'm thrilled that my kids, who usually don't care for sauce on anything, will eat this one without complaints. They even ask for more!

Here's what you need:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup flour (I used white wheat flour)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup corn starch
3 TBSP ketchup
2 teas sesame oil
2 teas minced garlic
1/4 teas red pepper flakes
2 teas sesame seeds, toasted

Place the flour in a Ziploc bag. Add the chicken, a few pieces at a time. Shake to coat, then repeat until all the pieces are coated. Heat a little oil in a pan and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. You're not trying to cook it all the way through, just brown it. Set aside.

In the bottom of a crockpot, combine the vinegar, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, corn starch, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.

Add the chicken pieces to the crockpot and make sure all of it is covered with the sauce. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until the chicken is tender. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

To toast the sesame seeds, simply heat a small skillet over medium heat. Don't add any oil or cooking spray. The seeds will release plenty of oil as they toast. When the skillet is hot, carefully pour in the seeds. They might jump around a bit. Stir so they don't burn or stick to the pan. It will only take a minute or so. When the seeds have browned, remove them from the heat and the skillet. You don't have to toast the seeds, but the nutty flavor is certainly more noticeable if you do.