Description

This Healthy Sesame Chicken recipe is a gluten-free and paleo-friendly dish that features tender, perfectly cooked chicken coated in a flavorful sesame sauce. Quick to prepare and made with simple, wholesome ingredients, it’s an ideal dinner option for those seeking a nutritious, delicious meal that satisfies without excess sodium or calories. The rich sesame and ginger flavors combined with the slight sweetness of maple syrup or honey create a harmonious balance of savory and sweet in every bite.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs), diced into 1" cubes
2 Tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
1 1/2 Tablespoons gluten free tamari or soy sauce or coconut aminos
1-2 Tablespoons Avocado oil

For the Sesame 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)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

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Instructions

Coat The Chicken. In a medium bowl or container, combine diced chicken with 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 1 1/2 Tbsp tamari. Toss with a fork to coat the chicken pieces evenly with the mixture.
Cook The Chicken. Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces to the pan, ensuring they are not touching. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side until golden and opaque, then flip and cook another 1-3 minutes until fully cooked through with no pink inside. Remove cooked chicken to a clean plate and repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil as needed.
Make The Sauce. While the chicken cooks, combine water, tamari, maple syrup or honey, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, fresh ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Whisk well to combine all the sauce ingredients.
Make The Slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 1 Tbsp water until smooth to create a slurry that will thicken the sauce.
Cook The Sauce. Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sesame sauce mixture and whisk thoroughly, which will turn the liquid slightly milky. Pour this mixture into the warm skillet and whisk continuously for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens, bubbles, and becomes translucent enough to see the whisk’s path.
Heat Through and Serve. Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet and toss them in the thickened sauce to coat evenly and heat through. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the dish. Serve warm and enjoy immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Note that the sauce may thicken and gel when chilled; simply warm with a splash of water to loosen before serving.

Notes

If your sauce gets too thick, thin it out with a splash of water and whisk thoroughly to reach desired consistency.
For Paleo compliance, use arrowroot instead of cornstarch and coconut aminos in place of tamari or soy sauce.
Watch the sodium level by opting for low-sodium tamari or soy sauce. Coconut aminos are naturally less salty and a good alternative to reduce salt content.
Leftover sauce thickens when refrigerated; reheat with a small amount of water to restore texture.

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: 9.3 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 13.8 g
Fiber: 0.2 g
Protein: 28 g
Cholesterol: 82.7 mg