Sesame Ground Chicken is super easy to make. Best of all, you can have dinner on the table in the time it would take you to pull through a takeout window. Who doesn’t love easy ground chicken recipes?
Doesn’t everyone love a quick and easy chicken dinner recipe? Let’s dive in and learn how to make this delicious recipe for Sesame Ground Chicken.
Recipe for Sesame Ground Chicken
Easy chicken recipes are a mainstay in the meal rotation for busy families. Anytime we can prepare a full main dish in one pan, we know it’s going to be a good day!
Sesame Ground Chicken is a favorite dish in Chinese restaurants, so if your family is a fan of Chinese food, they’re sure to fall in love with this recipe. When you order Sesame Chicken (or almost any food) at a restaurant, you don’t have control over the ingredient list. For this reason, restaurant chefs aren’t exactly careful about fat, carbs, and calories. They’re cooking for taste.
While this lean ground chicken recipe calls for brown sugar to give it a spicy and sweet flavor combination, you can use an alternative such as Lakanto Monkfruit’s brown sugar substitute.
Sesame Ground Chicken is a naturally healthy meal. If you’re following a diet that’s paleo, keto, or low-sugar, just use a brown-sugar substitute.
How to Prepare Sesame Ground Chicken
To make Sesame Chicken, you need just a few basic ingredients.
Ground chicken
Garlic
Soy sauce (we recommend low-sodium soy sauce)
Olive oil (or sesame oil)
Chili garlic sauce (you can use garlic chili paste or garlic chili powder)
Green onions (scallions)
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Sauce made with soy sauce, brown sugar, and chicken broth
Rice wine vinegar (optional)
Chopped fresh ginger (optional)
The first thing you want to do is cook the green onions and garlic in the oil in a heavy skillet. Be sure to not overcook them because it will affect the flavor of the dish, along with the consistency and the look of your dinner.
Once your veggies are softened, add the ground chicken to the skillet and break it up into small pieces. You can use a wooden spoon to do this, a potato masher, or a special tool that’s designed for this purpose. We love this meat and potato masher.
Cook the chicken until it’s fully cooked and you no longer see pink. Try to avoid overcooking the chicken because it will become dry.
The delicious sauce is thickened with water and cornstarch. Combine the cornstarch with the warm water, then allow it to simmer in the skillet for about five minutes. Once the sauce is as thick as you like it to be, it’s ready for serving.
For garnish in this Sesame Ground Chicken recipe, chopped green onions (scallions) add tons of flavor and some nice color. Add even more crunch with toasted sesame seeds.
What can you serve with Sesame Chicken? Consider fluffy white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. Ramen noodles are also great with Sesame Chicken.
Another way we love to serve Sesame Chicken is by making Asian chicken lettuce wraps. To make Sesame Ground Chicken lettuce wraps, take full pieces of butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce. Lay the lettuce on a plate and add enough of the finished Sesame Ground Chicken to stuff the lettuce leaf. Be sure to leave enough room so that you can wrap it all up.
Here is another great way to expand your collection of ground chicken recipes. Use the ingredients listed in this Sesame Chicken recipe and make a chicken meatball main dish. Chicken meatballs can even be cooked in the oven for baked chicken meatballs. Then, serve the Asian chicken meatballs over rice.
Another idea is to use this recipe to make a delicious chicken burger. What’s not to love about ground chicken recipes?
If you love the flavor of Chicken Sesame but want to use ground chicken breast or chicken thigh, you can do that. Simply follow this chicken recipe and use chicken breast pieces instead of ground chicken. You can then use the seasoned chicken breast pieces to make a stir fry meal.
How Long to Store This Chicken Recipe in the Fridge
The wonderful thing about Sesame Ground Chicken is that it keeps beautifully in the fridge. Some folks even say that Sesame Chicken tastes even better after it’s been in the refrigerator for a day. You can expect this ground chicken recipe to keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for about four days.
If you like to do meal prep, Sesame Chicken is perfect. To re-heat Sesame Ground Chicken, just pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. You can also put your ground chicken meal in the slow cooker for reheating.
Here’s another great reason to cook a double batch of Sesame Ground Chicken. You can freeze it up in single-serving sizes and pull it out for a quick dinner on a busy weeknight. Frozen servings of Ground Chicken Sesame are also ideal for pulling out for your weekday lunch. Before freezing Sesame Chicken, allow it first to cool completely.
If you want the kids to be able to prepare a quick meal for themselves, single-serving portions of Sesame Ground Chicken will give them a delicious protein-rich meal. Frozen Sesame Chicken is perfect to pull out of the freezer to make lettuce wraps.
Also, you can make a delicious stir fry from nearly any type of meat. For a quick ground chicken stir fry dinner, use your leftover Chicken Sesame. Add some chopped bell pepper or fresh ginger for even more flavor.
Does a fusion taco seasoning meal interest you? You can use your leftover Chicken Sesame to make ground chicken tacos. Ground chicken taco meals are one of our favorite easy ground chicken recipe ideas. Besides a taco dinner, you can also use your Chicken Sesame taco meat to make ground chicken chili or chicken Bolognese for more fusion flavor.
Another way to use your Sesame Chicken taco meat is to make a chicken empanada meal or ground chicken picadillo for a Cuban fusion meal. And don’t forget ground chicken sloppy joes or chicken meatloaf!
Can You Use Ground Pork or Turkey to Make This Recipe?
You can use any type of ground meat to make Sesame Chicken. The recipe’s flavor won’t change that much if you use ground pork or ground turkey. You can even use meat substitutes such as Beyond Meat Crumbles. It’s the sauce that makes this chicken recipe so delicious, so whatever meat you use will work just fine.
Do you want to use ground beef? No problem! Sesame Ground Beef is just as yummy as Sesame Chicken. Note that the nutrition facts we provide in this recipe will change if you use a different type of ground meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make sesame ground chicken stir fry?
To make sesame ground chicken stir fry, start by heating oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken, and cook until browned. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger, cooking until fragrant. Stir in soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil, then add in sliced bell peppers and snow peas. Cook until vegetables are tender. Lastly, sprinkle some sesame seeds and green onions on top before serving.
What side dishes pair well with sesame ground chicken?
Sesame ground chicken pairs well with steamed rice, quinoa, or noodles. Vegetable side dishes such as bok choy, stir-fried green beans, or a refreshing Asian cucumber salad also complement the dish nicely. Other options could include a simple soup like egg drop or miso soup.
Can I substitute ground turkey for ground chicken in sesame recipes?
Yes, you can substitute ground turkey for ground chicken in sesame recipes. Ground turkey is a lean protein and has similar texture and cooking time, making it an excellent alternative. Keep in mind that ground turkey may be slightly drier, so consider adding a little extra sauce to maintain moisture.
How to make healthy sesame ground chicken meatballs?
To make healthy sesame ground chicken meatballs, combine ground chicken, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, egg, breadcrumbs, and sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl. Form the mixture into meatballs, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18-20 minutes or until cooked through. For an extra boost of flavor, serve the meatballs with a soy-honey glaze or a spicy sesame dipping sauce.
What are the primary spices in Asian ground chicken recipes?
Some of the primary spices in Asian ground chicken recipes include garlic, ginger, and green onions, which provide a strong base flavor. Additionally, ingredients like soy sauce, fish sauce, or oyster sauce are often used to give a savory aspect to the dish. For added heat, red pepper flakes, or chili paste can be incorporated.
Is it possible to make a sesame ground chicken chili?
Yes, it is possible to make a sesame ground chicken chili. In place of traditional ground beef, use ground chicken as the protein base. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and typical chili spices like cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Include vegetables such as diced onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes, along with your choice of beans. Simmer the chili until flavors meld together, and serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions.
Sesame Ground Chicken Recipe
For a kid-pleasing meal, you can't go wrong with this easy chicken dinner. We recommend serving Sesame Ground Chicken with some steamed broccoli and fluffy basmati rice to make it a full meal. If you're watching carbs, you can also use cauliflower rice.
Toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
Mince the garlic and chop the green onion.
Place the sesame oil in a heavy skillet and heat your stove’s burners to medium. Allow the sesame oil to get hot.
Add the chopped scallions (green onions) to the skillet and cook it until softened. It will take about 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for no longer than one minute. Garlic will become bitter if it’s cooked for too long or overly browned.
Put the ground chicken in the skillet and break it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon or another kitchen tool.
Cook the chicken until it is completely cooked and no longer showing any pink.
Season the cooked chicken with black pepper and kosher salt.
To prepare the sauce, mix together in a medium-sized bowl the toasted sesame oil, brown sugar (or brown sugar substitute), soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and chicken broth. Stir until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Pour the Sesame Chicken sauce over the cooked ground chicken in the skillet. Stir well until it’s all combined.
Bring the mixture to a simmer.
While continuing to stir, add the water and cornstarch mixture to the skillet.
Allow the chicken to simmer until the sauce is sufficiently thickened.
Taste a small bite to be sure that it’s the way you want it to taste. If you need more seasonings, add them at this time.
Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and the rest of the green onions.
Serve your finished Sesame Ground Chicken with rice and vegetables. Broccoli, egg rolls, or a ginger green bean stir fry are both delicious.
