Healthy Sesame Chicken (Print-Friendly Version)

Crispy chicken pieces coated in a tangy-sweet sesame sauce that's ready in just 30 minutes and fits gluten-free and paleo diets.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs), diced into 2.5 cm cubes
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot)
03 - 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos)
04 - 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil

→ For the Sesame Sauce

05 - 120 ml water
06 - 3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos)
07 - 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (or more, to taste)
10 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
12 - Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
14 - 1 tablespoon water
15 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine diced chicken with cornstarch and tamari. Toss with a fork to coat thoroughly.
02 - Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook chicken pieces without crowding for 3-4 minutes on the first side and 1-3 minutes on the second side until fully opaque with no pink inside. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate and repeat with remaining pieces, adding more oil as needed.
03 - While the chicken cooks, combine water, tamari, maple syrup or honey, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Whisk until well incorporated.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to create a smooth slurry.
05 - Reduce the heat in the pan to medium-low. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sesame sauce mixture and whisk to combine. Pour this mixture into the warm pan and whisk continuously for 3-5 minutes until the sauce bubbles, thickens, and becomes more translucent. You should be able to see the path of your whisk in the sauce.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Heat through. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve warm.

# Additional Tips:

01 - The sauce will gel and thicken when refrigerated. To thin leftover sauce, warm it with a splash of water.
02 - If sauce becomes too thick during cooking, easily adjust consistency with a small amount of water and whisking.
03 - For paleo version, use arrowroot and coconut aminos to stay compliant.
04 - Consider using low-sodium tamari or soy sauce to moderate salt content, especially if not using coconut aminos.

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