Air Fried or Baked Crispy Sesame Chicken (1 dish 3 ways!)
Baked or Air Fried Sesame Chicken is healthy delicious and made in a sheet pan with no starch and flour. This dish comes in 3 varieties. You prep 1 dish and change it up for 2 more without spending extra time. Perfect for meal prep!
Servings: 4 serving
Equipment
- 1 large sheet pan with wire rack
- Parchment paper for the sheet pan
Ingredients
For the baked or air fried sesame chicken:
- 1.25 lb chicken breasts dice to 1-inch cubes
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos or 1.5 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 cup raw white sesame seeds see notes
- Avocado oil spray
- Toasted black sesame seeds garnish optional
Dish 1 - Sesame Chicken Bites with Honey Mustard Sauce
- 4 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tsp Keto honey see instructions for Whole30
- 4 tsp Apple cider vinegar
Dish 2 - Sesame Chicken Creamy Zoodle Bowl
- 2 whole persian cucumbers diced. 1 cucumber per bowl
- Zucchini noodles about 1 zucchini per bowl
- Asian “Peanut” Sauce or Thai "Peanut" Sauce
- Sichuan chili oil optional
Dish 3 - Sesame Chicken Crunch Salad
- Coleslaw mix I use Trader Joe’s or Dole classic that are finely shredded
- Cilantro chopped
- Toasted almond slices
- Whole30 ranch yogurt dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, marinate the diced chicken with ingredients from salt to sesame oil for 15 minutes in the fridge.
To bake
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line the sheet pan with parchment with a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with a thin layer of oil. In a large bowl, add the sesame seeds. Lightly drench the chicken before dipping/coating them with sesame seeds on all sides.
- Place the chicken one-by-one on the sheet with some small gap between each piece. Spray another thin layer of oil over. Bake for 15-20 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through or reach 165°F (74°C).
To air fry
- Spray the basket with a thin layer of oil. Add the chicken to the basket with some space in-between. Spray a thin layer of oil over. Air fryer at 380°F (193°C) for 5 minutes the first side and 4 minutes the flip side. The chicken should be cooked through or reach 165°F (74°C). You might need to do this in 2 batches.
Dish 1 - Sesame Chicken Bites with Honey Mustard Sauce
- Garnish the chicken with toasted black sesame seeds, if using. Serve as an appetizer with the sauce on the side. For Whole30, soak 4 dates with a few tablespoons of warm water until they soften, about 10-15 minutes. Discard the water. Blend the dates with mustard and vinegar with a few tablespoons of water, start with 2 tbsp and add more if needed. The sauce should be creamy, smooth, a little sweet, and tart.
Dish 2 - Sesame Chicken Creamy Zoodle Bowl
- Divide the zucchini noodles into individual serving bowls. Toss the noodles with Asian “Peanut” Sauce or Thai “Peanut” Sauce. Add the cucumbers and sesame chicken. Drizzle with a teaspoon of hot chili oil, if using.
Dish 3 - Sesame Chicken Crunch Salad
- In a salad bowl, add the coleslaw mix, cilantro, almond, and sesame chicken. Toss the salad with Whole30 ranch yogurt dressing before serving.
Video
Notes
- Store the cooked sesame chicken in a glass container in the fridge for upto 4-5 days.
- You can warm up the sesame chicken in a microwave. Cover the container and microwave for 1 minute.
- I use raw sesame seeds so they are less likely to get burnt. If you can’t find them, you can also use toasted. Just watch the cook time and temperature so they don’t get burnt.
- The Sesame Chicken can be divided for 4 servings (1.25 lbs chicken) but I recommend you use it for 2 people, if you plan on using the extra for change up dishes.
- The nutritional label is estimated, using the Dish 1 info and with keto honey.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 925mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 376mg | Iron: 6mg
