The popularity of Everything Bagel seasoning is truly one of those mind-blowing food phenomena where one day it appears out of nowhere and suddenly ends up in our eggs, on our pretzels, and as of a few weeks ago, in grocery store ice cream. The trend became “a thing” when Trader Joe’s introduced Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend in early 2017. We literally have been shaking it on everything since.
My obsession, though, with sesame seed seasoning began a few decades earlier, in 1981 when my Manhattanite step-aunt Manya took me and my 10-year-old cousin to Foo Chows, a fancy-to-me Chinese restaurant near her co-op on New York City’s Upper East Side. Sesame-crusted chicken was one of the owner’s specialties; it was a taste and texture I had never sunk my teeth into before. I delighted in the overly nutty flavor of the extra crispy skin, especially after I doused it with pure, salty soy sauce.
I first created this roast chicken recipe to replicate my memory of the Foo Chows dish. I have morphed it over the years to include caraway, poppy seeds and dried onion to add complexity to the crust. It’s a simple, throw-together supper for roast chicken lovers and Everything Bagel seasoning zealots alike.
Use low-sodium soy sauce and chicken broth to ensure the chicken is not overly salty. Serve with yeasty dinner rolls — or fresh bagels — to sop up the jus.
Chadwick Boyd is a frequent TV guest, judge on Hallmark Channel and cookbook author. Find more of his work at chadwickboydlifestyle.com.
Credit: Brooke Slezak
Credit: Brooke Slezak
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