Healthy Sesame Chicken

Craving takeout but looking for a healthier option? This 30-minute sesame chicken is bursting with flavor and uses lean protein and a lightened-up sauce. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

Here’s a recipe for Healthy Sesame Chicken:

| Ingredients | |
|—|—|
| 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts | |
| 2 tablespoons cornstarch | |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt | |
| 1/4 teaspoon black pepper | |
| 3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce) | |
| 2 tablespoons honey | |
| 2 tablespoons rice vinegar | |
| 1-3 teaspoons Sriracha (optional, depending on spice preference) | |
| 4 cloves garlic, minced | |
| 1 teaspoon ginger, grated | |
| 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil | |
| 1/4 cup water | |
| 2 tablespoons cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water) | |
| 1 cup steamed broccoli florets (optional) | |
| 1 cup brown rice (optional) | |
| toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional) | |

Cooking Guide:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, toss the chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
2. Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, whisk together the coconut aminos (or soy sauce), honey, rice vinegar, sriracha (if using), garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Slowly add the slurry to the simmering sauce, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. This should take about 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the cooked chicken back to the pan and toss it with the sauce until well coated. Serve the sesame chicken over steamed brown rice or broccoli florets, garnished with additional toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Tips:

• For a thicker sauce: If you prefer a thicker sauce, simply add an additional tablespoon of cornstarch slurry to the sauce while whisking.
• Veggie options: Feel free to add other vegetables to the stir-fry, such as sliced bell peppers, snow peas, or carrots.
• Make it ahead: This dish can be easily prepped ahead of time. Cook the chicken and prepare the sauce. Then, when ready to serve, simply reheat the chicken and sauce together.

Enjoy!