Lighter Sesame Chicken

For get take-out and make this Lighter Sesame Chicken stir-fry! Chicken is coated in a light batter, pan-fried instead of deep frying and tossed in a simple, light and flavorful sauce. Serves 6 in under an hour.

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Sesame chicken is one of my favorite Chinese dishes to order.

And I’ve had it lots of different ways. Some more on the sweet side and some fiery with lots of ginger. Unfortunately most of the time the chicken is deep fried. Which (obviously) is probably the reason why I love it so much. That’s when I started thinking about how could I make it a bit healthier and let’s face it, save on gas by not driving 50 minutes to the nearest Pei Wei.

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No heavy batter and no deep frying. Chicken and vegetables are pan or wok-fried and tossed in a simple sweet sauce.

Sign. Me. Up.

To Make This Lighter Sesame Chicken You Will Need:

for the sauce:

chicken broth – Adds flavor without adding a lot of calories
honey – For sweetness.
low-sodium tamari – Or substitute with low-sodium soy sauce.
toasted sesame oil – For a touch of nuttiness.
rice vinegar – Adds delicious tang to the sauce.
cornstarch – Will aid in thickening the sauce.
garlic – This adds distinct and punchy flavor to this dish.
toasted sesame seeds – Adds flavor and subtle texture!

for the stir-fry:

egg whites – Crisps the chicken nicely and acts as a light breading to the chicken when stir-fried.
boneless skinless chicken breasts – Cut into same size pieces so it will cook evenly.
kosher salt – Enhances all the flavors in the dish.
white pepper – Brighter, a little sharper and more herbaceous notes than black pepper.
extra light olive oil – Use any oil that is safe for high-temp cooking.
red bell pepper – Adds a pop of color and subtle sweetness.
yellow onion – Adds flavor and subtle texture.
cooked jasmine rice – Could also serve with white or brown rice or cauliflower rice.
green onions – Use as garnish when serving.

Make The Sauce:

In a medium bowl, measure and add 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 cloves of garlic, freshly grated.

Whisk until the honey has dissolved and then set that off to the side.

Make The Stir-fry:

Then, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk 2 egg whites until frothy. Measure and add in 2 tablespoons cornstarch with a generous pinch of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper.

Continue to whisk until thoroughly combined.

Add 2 pounds of diced boneless skinless chicken breasts, using tongs to toss and coat.

Now it’s time to cook!

Spray a large nonstick skillet or wok with olive oil spray and over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in 1/2 a diced red and 1/2 a green pepper with 1 small diced yellow onion. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and stir and cook until just tender. About 3 to 5 minutes.

When the veggies are cooked, transfer them to a clean bowl and set off to the side for a moment.

To the same skillet (or wok) add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and once hot, add half of the chicken. Cook until golden, then flip and continue to cook until no longer pink. About 5 to 8 minutes.