This Easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken Recipe takes the Chinese food we love and makes it healthier. This homemade version keeps all of that soy, ginger and sesame flavor but takes out the carbs. Serve it up with some steamed broccoli to make a whole meal. This recipe can be part of a  low-carb, keto, Atkins, gluten-free, grain-free, or Banting diet.

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Our Easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken Recipe

This recipe has tender chunks of chicken enrobed in a thick, sticky sauce with flavors of soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic. The sauce has just a touch of sweetness. Just before serving, the dish is showered with additional sliced green onion and sesame. 

What do I serve with Low-Carb Sesame Chicken?

Generally, sesame chicken is served with rice. While a mountain of rice doesn’t work on low-carbohydrate diets, you can still enjoy this recipe. 

I love serving this recipe with steamed riced cauliflower, fried cauliflower rice, or over a bed of steamed broccoli. Green beans also go well with it.

Another low-carb option for serving our easy low-carb sesame chicken recipe is to spoon it over large leaves of lettuce to make lettuce wraps. 

Don’t want to fuss with lettuce wraps? No problem. Use the lettuce in a side salad. A side salad would go perfectly with this recipe.

The inspiration

Sesame chicken makes my top three Chinese meal choice favorites. The combination of soy, garlic, ginger and sesame makes a truly crave-worthy dish. 

Since it is a favorite, I wanted to make a low-carb version so I could still enjoy it without blowing my carb macros. To do create this recipe, I altered my recipe for Low-Carb Orange Beef. 

Can I eat Sesame Chicken on a keto diet?

Typically, sesame chicken made in a restaurant is made by breading chicken and frying it. The sauce contains a bunch of sugar or sometimes honey. Both the sugar content and the wheat flour used to bread the chicken makes the typical restaurant dish too high in carbs for someone on a keto or low-carb diet to enjoy more than a few bites.

My recipe takes out both the breading and the sugar to make it work for those people on low-carb, ketogenic diets.

How healthy is sesame chicken?

Sesame chicken provides a good source of protein. Ginger and garlic both have health benefits. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and garlic is known to assist with detoxification.

Unfortunately, the restaurant variety of sesame chicken contains not only the sugar already discussed, but it is frequently fried in vegetable oils linked with inflammation due to oxidation.

In addition, some restaurants add MSG to their sesame chicken. Some people find that this additive causes headaches and are concerned about the health implications of this ingredient.

In this recipe for homemade easy low-carb sesame chicken, I try to take away the things that make restaurant sesame chicken less healthy and focus on keeping the ingredients that taste good and are healthy.

Tips and tricks

This easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken recipe does contain soy sauce. I used low-sodium soy sauce because the regular soy sauce made it too salty–even for me, and I’m a total salt addict. 

Soy sauce generally contains gluten. If this is a problem for you, be sure to get a gluten free soy sauce or use a gluten-free tamari. 

I personally don’t worry about using a little soy sauce every once in a while. Since it is a fermented product, I don’t worry as much about the negative things some soy products are known for. It is not high in carbohydrates and therefore does not kick me out of ketosis. 

If you don’t want to use soy sauce, simply substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce. Using coconut aminos will also decrease the sodium content of this recipe, if you need to keep your sodium level down.

If you want to make this recipe fit into a Paleo diet, use the coconut aminos for the soy sauce and substitute honey for the sweetener. Honey will add carbs and is not an appropriate substitute if you are on a low-carb or keto diet.

Final words

This Easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken recipe makes a fast and delicious meal. It’s a healthier version of the stuff you get at a restaurant, but it’s just as tasty. Enjoy!

-Annissa

This Easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken Recipe takes the Chinese food we love and makes it healthier. This homemade version keeps all of that soy, ginger and sesame flavor but takes out the carbs. 😍🍗🍴

5 from 5 votes

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Easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken Recipe

This Easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken Recipe takes the Chinese food we love and makes it healthier. This homemade version keeps all of that soy, ginger and sesame flavor but takes out the carbs. Serve it up with some steamed broccoli to make a whole meal. This recipe can be part of a  low-carb, keto, Atkins, gluten-free, grain-free, or Banting diet.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, low-carb

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 3

Calories 281 kcal

Author Annissa Slusher

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup low-sodium gluten free soy sauce (may substitute coconut aminos)
• 1 tablespoon granulated stevia/erythritol blend (Pyure)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (quantity divided)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil (quantity divided)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into one inch cubes
• 2 medium green onions thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (white wine vinegar may be substituted)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the water, gluten-free soy sauce, Pyure, red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons of the sesame seeds. (Reserve the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.)

   

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken cubes, spreading them so they don't touch. Brown all sides of the chicken cubes, the decrease heat to medium low to cook through. Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside. 

   

3. Place the same skillet over medium high. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the white portion of the green onions and ginger root. Cook for a few minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the garlic and xanthan gum. Cook, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds more.

   

4. Add rice vinegar to the skillet. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Cook until almost evaporated, then stir in the soy sauce mixture. Simmer mixture, stirring frequently until it thickens. Stir in chicken and any juices that have accumulated. 

   

5. Stir in the sesame oil and green portion of the green onions. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds on top.

   

Nutrition Facts

Easy Low-Carb Sesame Chicken Recipe

Amount Per Serving (5.5 ounces)

Calories 281 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 1234mg54%

Potassium 332mg9%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 50%1%

Vitamin C 5%6%

Calcium 70%7%

Iron 1.6%9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.