I know that I am probably not alone when I say the first question I…
better than takeout sesame chicken with “fried” cauliflower rice
Satisfy your “take-out Chinese” cravings with Sesame chicken and “fried” cauliflower rice! You can enjoy this deliciously healthy meal in less than 30 minutes!
Not to mention, you won’t walk away overly stuffed and inevitably guilty from lo mein overload! Instead, you’ll walk away delightfully satisfied and energized.
Imagine perfectly seasoned, battered chicken bites coated with a savory, lightly sweetened sesame sauce. This is paired with oven-roasted, “fried” cauliflower rice, which is bursting with flavor and a slight bite from the jalapeño.
how to make sesame chicken
This sesame chicken is so simple to make. I recommend getting the cauliflower rice in the oven before you start the chicken.
Cut the chicken into small, bite-size pieces and sprinkle with sea salt. Add it to a bowl and mix in a whisked egg. Next, add arrowroot powder and thoroughly coat all of the pieces. You may find it easier to shake the chicken and flour in a bag to coat it.
Once that is complete, make your sauce by blending all of the sesame sauce ingredients. Note, you can make this dish whole30-compliant by substituting 1/4 cup of roughly chopped dates for the honey. Season to taste.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom skillet on medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 of the chicken to the pan (I cook the chicken in 2 batches so I don’t overcrowd the pan). Spread the chicken out and cook for 2-3 minutes, untouched. This should brown that side nicely. Flip the chicken in sections and brown the other side for 2-3 minutes. Remove the 1st batch and place on a plate while you do the 2nd batch.
Once the second batch is finished, add the other chicken back (drain oil if there’s too much in pan). Add the sesame sauce and stir. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, a couple minutes.
how to make “fried” cauliflower rice
You can easily make fried cauliflower rice in a saute pan on the stove top however I love the convenience and crispiness that comes from roasting it in the oven.
Simply add your cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen), veggies, spices and oil to a sheet pan. Mix to coat everything well and cook for 20 minutes or until browned.
Once the rice is finished cooking, place it in a bowl and mix in 2 or 3 tablespoons of the sesame sauce plus 2 scrambled eggs. Season to taste.
sesame chicken without cornstarch
Often sesame chicken sauce is thickened with cornstarch however this recipe uses a bit of arrowroot powder instead. Arrowroot is a starch obtained from a variety of tropical plants while cornstarch is starch obtained from corn. They are both used as thickening agents in a variety of recipes, and they are somewhat interchangeable.
Is sesame chicken spicy?
Sesame chicken is not spicy – it’s savory with a touch of sweetness. This is slightly different from General Tso™’s chicken which is typically more sweet and spicy.
how long will sesame chicken last?
Properly stored, sesame chicken will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. To further extend the shelf life of sesame chicken, freeze it. You can freeze in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
what to serve with sesame chicken?
Obviously sesame chicken paired with fried cauliflower rice is delicious but you can also serve it with regular white or brown rice or noodles. Add a side salad or a veggie soup like vegan broccoli soup or butternut squash soup for a complete meal!
other Paleo/Whole30 recipes you’ll enjoy:
- easy white chicken chili
- bacon cheeseburger soup
- copycat in-N-out burger (whole30, paleo)
- steak fajita stuffed sweet potatoes
- sloppy joes on crispy sweet potatoes with pickled onions
This recipe is adapted from 40 aprons and the castaway kitchen.
Printsesame chicken with “fried” cauliflower rice
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Imagine perfectly seasoned, battered chicken bites coated with a savory, lightly sweetened sesame sauce. This is paired with oven-roasted, “fried” cauliflower rice, which is bursting with flavor and a slight bite from the jalapeño.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” chunks
- 1/2 cup arrowroot starch plus more as needed to coat
- 1 egg, whisked
- Refined coconut oil or avocado oil for frying
Sesame Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey*
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds plus more for garnish
- sliced green onions for garnish
Cauliflower rice
- 1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh riced cauliflower
- 1 ½ cup hemp seeds (or you can use fewer hemp seeds and more cauliflower)
- 1 shallot or small onion, minced
- 1 medium carrot, small dice
- 1 small jalapeño (adds a slight kick) or 1/2 sweet pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoons black pepper
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons olive, avocado or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons of sesame sauce (above)
- 2 eggs, scrambled
Instructions
To make the rice:
- Pre-heat oven to 400F.
- On a large sheet pan with a rim, toss together the cauliflower rice, hemp seeds, diced onion, carrots, peppers, salt, ginger, pepper and sesame seeds.
- Drizzle the oil over everything and toss again to combine then spread the mixture out evenly over the entire sheet pan in one, thin, even layer.
- Roast at 400F for 20 minutes or until parts of the rice are browned and toasty.
- Remove from the oven, and use a thin spatula to scrape up and mix all of the toasty rice together, add in 2 tablespoons of the sesame sauce and the scrambled eggs, lifting and folding in all the ingredients.
To make the chicken:
- Add whisked egg to a medium bowl; add 1/2 cup arrowroot starch to medium plastic food storage bag or medium bowl.
- Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt. Add chicken to bowl with egg and toss evenly in egg to coat. Transfer chicken to bag or bowl with arrowroot and toss to coat. Remove chicken pieces from arrowroot, discarding excess.
- To a blender add: coconut aminos, water, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and arrowroot starch. Blend on high until very smooth.
- Heat a thin layer of coconut oil or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces and cook without moving until golden on the bottom; flip and cook without moving until golden brown on the other side. I typically cook 2 minutes for each side and do it in 2 batches so I don’t overcrowd pan.
- Pour over sesame sauce and stir. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, a couple minutes. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions; serve with fried cauliflower rice.
Notes
*Note: to make sauce Whole30, use 1/4 dates and 2 tablespoons of water instead of honey.
**You can use fresh or frozen cauliflower and cook time remains the same.
***You can substitute corn starch for arrowroot powder.
Keywords: sesame chicken, healthy sesame chicken, fried rice sesame chicken
Leave a Reply