”Healthy sesame chicken” doesn’t have to mean “worse sesame chicken.” Try this irresistible at-home sesame chicken recipe with lettuce wraps and you’ll wonder why you’ve had it any other way.
What is sesame chicken?
Sesame chicken is one of those American takes on Chinese food that isn’t going to win any authenticity contests (are those a thing?) but is nonetheless ragingly popular here in the States.
What makes sesame chicken stand out? Compared to General Tso’s chicken, which is supposed to be spicy, sesame chicken is sweeter, with a sesame flavor provided not only by seeds on top but also by sesame oil in the sauce.
Healthy sesame chicken
How do you make healthy sesame chicken? As you might have guessed, the technique isn’t going to rely heavily on deep frying. Instead, you’re going to cook the chicken—which is coated in cornstarch—in a skillet with just enough oil to keep things from sticking.
Because you’re making the sauce from scratch, you have a fair bit of control over what does and doesn’t make it in. The result is a dish that’s free from a lot of questionable ingredients that you get when mass-produced, overengineered Big Sauce is in play.
Take down Big Sauce. Make yours from scratch.
Sesame chicken lettuce wraps
Another easy win in the health department is serving this healthy sesame chicken on lettuce wraps. Crispy lettuce is the perfect compliment to these flavor-packed bites of chicken.
That’s not to say that this isn’t also great over rice or lo mein or whatever your base of choice might be. It sure is! But lettuce wraps are a great, refreshing vehicle for these chicken bites, and you'll feel that much better after eating.
Sesame chicken ingredients
CHICKEN INGREDIENTS:
- boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
- cornstarch
SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
- soy sauce or coconut aminos
- chicken broth
- sesame oil
- honey
- sriracha
- ginger (grated)
- garlic (minced)
- sherry or apple cider vinegar
- sesame seeds
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper
How do you make sesame chicken from scratch?
This healthy sesame chicken recipe is so quick and easy!
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Place the chicken and cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix until all of the chicken is coated in cornstarch.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to cover the skillet. Once the oil is covering the pan, add half of the chicken. Cook for about 10 minutes or until chicken is 165 degrees internally.
- Add half of the sauce mixture to the skillet and stir. After 30 seconds, turn the heat to low so that the chicken and sauce can simmer together for about 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Repeat with other half of chicken & sauce.
- Remove chicken from the pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.
- To portion, divide into 4ths; for a more exact portion measurement, divide total food weight (not including dish) by 4.
- Add chicken to lettuce wraps and enjoy!
What do you serve with sesame chicken?
- Romaine hearts or iceberg lettuce
- Green onions sliced
- Sesame seeds
- Rice
- Crab Rangoons
- Broccoli
- Egg Rolls
- Spring Rolls
How can I store this?
I put this in a Tupperware container and keep it in the fridge for up to three days.
How can I reheat this?
This healthy sesame chicken comes roaring back to life after a quick go in the microwave. I haven’t tried any other reheating methods, but let me know if you do!
Is sesame chicken healthy?
If you’ve been around the site, you know that I love to remind folks that healthy food depends on context. What are your overall goals? What else are you eating? How can this fit in?
That said, this sesame chicken definitely fits within a healthy nutrition plan, especially for the health-conscious modifications it makes over traditional takeout. For me, a recipe hits a sweet spot when it delivers on these healthy elements but also brings some serious taste to the party.
What else can I make?
If you’re looking for some more recipe inspiration, why not try one of these Jordo’s World favorites?
Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
CHICKEN INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
- ¼ cup cornstarch
SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoon chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon sherry or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
TO SERVE:
- 1 bag romaine hearts or iceberg lettuce
- 1 bunch green onions sliced
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Place the chicken and cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix until all of the chicken is coated in cornstarch.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to cover the skillet. Once the oil is covering the pan, add half of the chicken. Cook for about 10 minutes or until chicken is 165 degrees internally.
- Add half of the sauce mixture to the skillet and stir. After 30 seconds, turn the heat to low so that the chicken and sauce can simmer together for about 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Repeat with other half of chicken & sauce.
- Remove chicken from the pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.
- To portion, divide into 4ths; for a more exact portion measurement, divide total food weight (not including dish) by 4.
- Add chicken to lettuce wraps and enjoy!
Notes
- This dish is gluten and dairy free.
- To make vegetarian: Use tofu instead of chicken
- For extra carbs: Serve with rice or veggies
Megan (The Lyons' Share) says
Super simple and SO flavorful! Will make this over and over!
Kaitlyn says
Do not skip on this!! Seriously the best. One of my favs in the summer! We use Bare Popcorn chicken instead of raw chicken and it saves so much time but still so delicious. Definitely try this!! 😍
Kelsie says
Tasty recipe that you can adapt to your own needs or flavor preferences really easily!
Jess Caldwell says
This recipe is not only delicious, it’s also super versatile! I used it for meal prep this week; used ground chicken instead of chicken breast, and will be having it with basmati rice and stir fry veggies. It’s like a sesame chicken bowl!
Abby Wilson says
Such a fantastic dish! Flavor is out of this world, but fair warning, it definitely has a spicy kick to it. So if you’re not a huge fan of spicy, I’d suggest leaving out the red pepper flakes and/or sriracha.
One thing I particularly love about this dish is that it’s SO simple and easy to make; it would be perfect to make for a weekday lunch with friends and would surely impress!
Kate says
Very easy to make and full of flavor!
Emily says
So easy and yummy for the whole family.
Kim says
Amazing flavor. Just as good as a restaurant.
Amanda says
Amazing! My husband and I had been in the mood for Chinese, and this hit the spot. Super easy to make and very filling. We served ours with cauliflower rice.
Jan Garner says
Super easy and great for meal prep!
Esther Spo says
Quick and easy, love it.
Shayla says
Wow! So good. I didn’t have sriracha, so I added an 8th of tsp more of red pepper flakes. My 4 year old even loved it! Just as good the next day too.
Becky says
So yummy! We make and serve over cauli rice. It's quick, easy and delicious!
kayt says
So easy, so delicious! Thank you, Jordo, for another fav in my meal prep rotation! Love it!
Alyssa Hedrick says
This was the most recent recipe I’ve made from Jordo’s World and like all of the others it was delicious! My husband and I both loved it!! It was super easy and delicious served over brown rice.