Crispy, Sweet, Sesame Chicken Starfish in the Kitchen
Main Course 14 comments

Sesame Chicken, Keto & Low Carb

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Crispy, sweet and crunchy Sesame Chicken Stir Fry is keto friendly, low carb, and sugar-free. Quick, easy and better than Chinese take out!

Crispy, Sweet, Sesame Chicken Starfish in the Kitchen
Sweet and crispy sesame chicken, low carb and sugar free

YOU’LL LOVE THIS DISH!

Crunchy chicken – check! Rich sesame flavor – check! Tangy sweet sauce – check! Crisp, colorful veggies – check! This dish checks all the boxes. The only thing it skimps on is carbs.

While Sesame Chicken would traditionally use honey or sugar to create a sweet sauce, keto and low carb diets mean we need to find a workaround. Read on to learn how to make the classic dish without sugar, wheat or corn!

KEY INGREDIENTS

Allulose

Ah, my favorite ingredient – all of the sweetness and none of the carbs! Allulose is so helpful in non-baking applications as well. It adds sweetness to sauces, salad dressings and spice rubs. Its sugar-like characteristics also allow it to melt and caramelize; it’s definitely a game-changer! This amazing ingredient adds the sweetness to the sauce for our Sesame Chicken Stir Fry.

Check out more keto recipes with allulose.

Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds will be used in place of breading on our chicken to add some crunch and TONS of flavor. They’re great to have around for tons of Asian dishes as well as salads and baking.

Toasted Sesame Oil

While you could make this stir fry recipe without it, the toasted sesame oil just adds SO much richness to the flavor. If you haven’t used it before, it really adds to punch and richness of the dish and is great in tons of dishes. I add it to many dishes with Asian flair but it’s also amazing drizzled on roasted veggies or to add some interest to salad dressings. Highly recommended for punching up the sesame flavor in our Sesame Chicken!

TECHNIQUE

Prepping the chicken – pat it dry and slice it thinly. Shoot for slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. With uniform thickness and sizes

We’ll use sesame seeds the way you might use flour or bread crumbs to fry chicken. First, we’ll dip our chicken slices into egg and then coat in sesame seeds.

Thin slices of chicken in beaten egg to make sesame chicken
Chicken dipped in egg and dredged in sesame

Brown the chicken in batches to allow the sesame seeds to turn golden and the chicken to crisp up.

EQUIPMENT

TROUBLESHOOTING

What if my Sesame Chicken starts to burn?

Start with the heat on medium/medium-low. Add one piece of chicken to your oiled pan. It should sizzle a bit. If it doesn’t sizzle, turn the heat up a little. If it starts burning right away, turn the heat down. You want the heat high enough to toast the sesame seeds but not so high that they burn.

What if I don’t like peppers, broccoli, etc.?

Peppers complement the sauce of this recipe really well but the dish is completely forgiving. Use any vegetables you prefer, or feel free to omit vegetables altogether.

🍽 SERVING

Sesame Chicken with peppers and broccoli.
Sesame Chicken sweet and crispy

How to serve Sesame Chicken?

  • These are great with cauliflower rice or cauliflower fried rice.
  • Would be great made in smaller pieces and served in lettuce cups or lettuce wraps.
  • Perfect with shirataki noodles.
  • With cucumber salad for a refreshing side

What to drink with Sesame Chicken?

Personally, my favorite is some Kirin beer! Sparking beverages are great with heavier dishes. This would be good served with tea as well!

STORAGE

Refrigerate leftovers and heat in the microwave. Crispiest when consumed immediately after making.

❤️ MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

Crispy, Sweet, Sesame Chicken Starfish in the Kitchen

Sesame Chicken, Keto & Low Carb

Lindsay
Crispy, sweet and crunchy Sesame Chicken Stir Fry is keto friendly, low carb, and sugar-free. Quick, easy and better than Chinese take out!
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 2
Calories 451 kcal

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • bowls
  • nonstick pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 chicken breast 6-8 oz
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil as needed to pan fry chicken
  • 1/2 red bell pepper sliced thinly
  • 3 oz broccoli cut into bite size pieces

sauce

  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoons rice vinegar unsweetened (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons allulose
  • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or sri racha (optinoal)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger ground (you could always use fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil added at the end

garnish

  • 1 green onion chopped (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Slice chicken breast into even slices, approximately 1/4 inch thick.
    Thin slices of chicken in beaten egg to make sesame chicken
  • Starting with approximately 25% of the chicken, dip chicken slices into beaten egg, then coat in sesame seeds.
    Chicken coated in sesame seeds before pan frying
  • Heat non stick pan to medium and add oil to pan. Test one piece of chicken to get the temperature right. Sesame should turn golden and not burn. Once heat is dialed in, cook this batch of chicken. Allow chicken to turn white around the edges before flipping.
  • Remove cooked chicken to a a plate and repeat, cooking the rest of the chicken in small batches to avoid crowding the pan.
  • Once chicken is cooked, use a paper towel to remove any excess sesame seeds from the pan.
  • Add the sliced pepper to the pan and begin to cook, stirring frequently.
  • Add all ingredients for the sauce and mix well. Add broccoli and cook until just tender. Return the chicken the the pan and toss in the remaining sauce.
  • Garnish with green onion if desired. Enjoy!
    Crispy, Sweet, Sesame Chicken Starfish in the Kitchen

Notes

Nutrition information from cronometer.  Provided for reference.  Please calculate nutrition based on your ingredients.
Keyword chicken, chinese, sesame

14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Lots of flavor and easy to make!

  2. 5 stars
    OUTSTANDING! This is perfect as I miss takeout but you are right, this is better! Thank you for posting… you are wonderful! <3

  3. 5 stars
    What a delicious recipe! And so easy. We loved the flavor!

  4. 5 stars
    Nothing better than this!

  5. 5 stars
    Awesome recipe! My family smashed it in like 10 minutes. Love that it’s sugar free too.

  6. 5 stars
    My family loved this!! Delicious.

  7. 5 stars
    Lovely dinner idea. I’m saving this on my list to try. Thanks!

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