Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

Instead of ordering takeout, make this healthy sesame chicken with broccoli at home. It has the same sweet and tangy sauce - and it's good for you!

The first time I ever made sesame chicken, I knew I had just discovered my favorite recipe! On its own, sesame chicken is a delicious dish. It's slightly sweet with nutty notes from the sesame oil and a little sour from the vinegar. All flavors combined, it tastes even better than takeout!

What are the best vegetables to add to sesame chicken? Well, my favorite one of all is broccoli.

I'm thrilled to share this recipe with you. I took my classic sesame chicken and added some sweet and crispy broccoli florets. Not only does this beautiful recipe look fancy on your plate, but it is really good for you- and low in calories too.

Whenever you are craving Chinese takeout, this should be your first choice, along with this amazing Healthy Kung Pao Chicken. You will love how simple it is, how quickly it all comes together, and how amazing it tastes.

Key Ingredients For Sesame Chicken With Broccoli

Most of the ingredients for this chicken recipe are actually for the sauce. Here's what you'll need to make it:

• Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. Since you are going to fry them and make them crispy, a rotisserie chicken won't work. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
• Spices: I used very few spices - just salt and pepper. If you want it to be spicier, add some red pepper flakes.
• Flour: To give this recipe more fiber, I used whole wheat flour. You can use cornstarch instead or even almond flour if you need it to be gluten-free.
• Oil: For the best combination of flavors, use both sesame oil and either olive or avocado oil. Sesame oil is essential to have all that sesame flavor.
• Garlic: You only need about two garlic cloves for this recipe. If you really like the taste of garlic, add up to two more cloves.
• Soy Sauce: Always use low-sodium soy sauce whenever you make Asian dishes. Coconut aminos would also work for less sodium.
• Brown Sugar: You only need a little bit to sweeten the entire sauce. Alternatively, you can use a sugar substitute (like Swerve or Stevia) to sweeten the dish. Honey also works.
• White Vinegar: If you don't have white vinegar, you can use rice vinegar as a substitute.
• Chicken Broth: Either chicken stock or low-sodium vegetable broth can be used in its place.
• Broccoli Florets: Use fresh broccoli florets so that they still have some crunch and texture. You could swap in frozen, but the broccoli will be much softer. If you use frozen, I recommend cooking it separately and adding it right before serving. You could swap in other quick-cooking vegetables like green beans, sugar snap peas, cauliflower, or snow peas.
• Sesame Seeds: This is for the garnish and is what makes it look like classic sesame chicken.

Recipe Tips And Ideas

Follow these tips to make sure that this chicken turns out delicious every single time!

• Use an oven-safe skillet. You'll fry the chicken pieces and then transfer them to the oven to finish roasting and cooking. It's easier if you use something like a cast-iron skillet.
• To make the sauce thicker, add a bit more flour or some cornstarch.
• Another way to thicken the sauce is to broil it during the last few minutes of baking the chicken in the oven.
• If you are using frozen vegetables, cook them separately and stir them in at the last minute. Otherwise they will end up quite soggy.
• For a spicy kick, add some red pepper flakes or Sriracha to the sesame sauce.

Side Dish Ideas

Since this is a takeout-inspired recipe, I like to serve it with my other restaurant faves. Add some fried cauliflower rice to the side. It has more fiber than white rice and a lot more nutrients too!

Egg rolls are another fun thing to serve with sesame chicken and broccoli. Also, fresh spring rolls stuffed with tofu, glass noodles, and veggies are delightful too!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions I frequently get asked about by some readers...

Is this recipe low in carbs?

No, this recipe is not low-carb. Since I used whole wheat flour and brown sugar, it has too many carbs in it to be considered keto-friendly. If you want to make it low-carb, use almond flour instead of wheat and Stevia instead of brown sugar.

How do I store leftover sesame chicken?

Since this chicken is fried with a breading and then covered in a sauce, it won't last very long. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 5 days.

What other vegetables can I add to it?

This is the fun part! Add as many different types of veggies as you want. Sugar snap peas and zucchini are very popular choices that go really well with this dish.

Remember, when you add more veggies, you might need to make more sauce. That way there will be enough to cover everything completely.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

No, this recipe is not gluten-free. If you want to make it gluten-free, use cornstarch or almond flour to bread the chicken. You will also need to substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce.

More Delicious Asian Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:

• Sheet Pan Honey Sriracha Chicken and Vegetables
• Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry
• Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
• Chicken Chow Mein
• Moo Shu Chicken