Description
Healthy Sesame Chicken is a flavorful gluten-free and paleo-friendly dish featuring crispy chicken coated in a tangy, sweet sesame sauce. Perfect as a wholesome main course, this recipe combines tender chicken with a savory sauce infused with garlic, ginger, and toasted sesame oil for an instant family favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs), diced into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos)
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil
Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (or more, to taste)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Slurry and Garnish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Coat The Chicken: In a medium bowl or container, combine the diced chicken with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 1/2 tablespoons of tamari. Toss thoroughly using a fork to evenly coat the chicken pieces.
- Cook The Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in batches ensuring they do not touch each other. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes on the first side and 1-3 minutes on the second side until fully opaque with no pink inside. Remove cooked chicken to a clean plate and repeat until all chicken is cooked, adding oil as necessary.
- Make The Sauce: While chicken cooks, in a bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup water, 3 tablespoons tamari, 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, minced fresh ginger, and red pepper flakes if using. Whisk the ingredients until well blended.
- Make The Slurry: In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to create a smooth slurry.
- Cook The Sauce: Once chicken is finished, reduce skillet heat to medium-low. Add the cornstarch slurry to the prepared sauce mixture and whisk until the sauce appears milky. Pour this mixture into the warm skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, becomes translucent, and begins to bubble. You should be able to trace the whisk’s path through the sauce.
- Heat Through and Serve: Return cooked chicken to the skillet and coat with the thickened sauce, heating it through for a few minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve the dish warm. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Note that sauce thickens when chilled and can be thinned with a little water when reheated.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, cook chicken in batches without overcrowding the pan to ensure proper searing.
- You can substitute arrowroot for cornstarch for a paleo-friendly option.
- Adjust the amount of toasted sesame oil to suit your taste preferences.
- To make the recipe vegan, replace chicken with tofu and use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Leftover sauce thickens when chilled but can be loosened with a small amount of water upon reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 275 kcal
- Sugar: 6.1 g
- Sodium: 853.3 mg
- Fat: 10.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.8 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 82.7 mg
