Sticky Sesame Chicken

Recipe posted in: Lunch/Dinner
sesame chicken recipe

Takeout and food delivery have quickly become engrained into our lives. While we can all appreciate a quick, easy and delicious dinner, there’s no arguing that most fast food and restaurant meals are slim down saboteurs. Enjoy your favorite Chinese takeout order without ruining your weight loss progress with this low-carb spin on classic sesame chicken! It’s filled with flavor, packed with protein and light on carbs.

To make this healthy version of sesame chicken, you’ll first cut up boneless and skinless chicken thighs into half-inch pieces and season them with salt and pepper. Create the marinade in a large mixing bowl by whisking together coconut aminos, erythritol brown sugar, fresh minced garlic, fresh minced gingerroot, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Place the chicken into the marinade, cover and place it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to marinate.

Once the chicken is done marinating, it’s time to get cooking! Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip away. Be sure to reserve the extra marinade! Place the chicken in the hot pan and cook for three to four minutes per side. While the chicken is cooking, add the tapioca flour to the marinade and whisk to combine. Pour the extra marinade into the pan with the chicken and cook for four to five minutes, until the sauce thickens.

When the chicken is fully cooked, evenly divide it among four bowls and garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro and lime wedges. If you’re keeping the rest of this tasty meal to yourself, you can store any extras in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for about three to four days, making it perfect for your healthy meal prep menu!

This Sticky Sesame Chicken dinner contains 331 calories and just eight grams of carbs. If you’d like to add a vegetable serving to this Asian-inspired feast, feel free to serve it over some cooked cauliflower rice. You can also incorporate some chopped veggies into the chicken while sautéing. Sliced onions or red bell peppers would be a delicious and nutritious addition!

If you need more dinner inspiration, The Palm Weight Loss Blog is your virtual low-carb recipe book! Check out some of our favorite healthy meal ideas below:

This recipe is from the book, The New Keto-Friendly South Beach Diet, written by the creator of the South Beach Diet, Arthur Agatston, M.D.

Phase: Weight Loss Phase, Weight Maintenance Phase

Servings: 4

Nutrition Information

  • 1 Healthy Fat
  • 1 Protein
  • 3 Extras

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. tapioca flour
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 lime wedges
  • Marinade
  • 1⁄4 cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp. erythritol brown sugar replacement
  • 1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. minced fresh gingerroot
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

Directions:

  1. Pat the chicken dry. Dice into 1⁄2-inch pieces and season it with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, erythritol brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes to marinate.
  3. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan.
  4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip away. Reserve the marinade. Place the chicken in the hot pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  5. Add the tapioca flour to the marinade and whisk to combine.
  6. Add the marinade to the pan with the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
  7. Evenly divide among 4 bowls and serve the chicken garnished with sesame seeds, cilantro, and lime wedges.
  8. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this dish is good for 3 to 4 days.