Keto Sesame Chicken Recipe

This homemade keto sesame chicken recipe will ensure you keep the cravings for Chinese takeout at bay. Made with fried chicken thighs in a perfectly sweet umami sesame sauce, you can enjoy the Chinese food you love—without the high-carb count.

Why you'll love it

There's something so indulgent about Chinese takeaway. But finding low-carb options on a menu filled with high-carb ingredients and added sugars isn't an easy task.

That's why I prefer to make my Chinese food at home, including one of my favorite dishes – sesame chicken.

My low-carb sesame chicken recipe has so much flavor with ginger, fresh garlic, and soy sauce. And for a touch of sweetness, I add Swerve brown sugar substitute for an authentic flavor combination.

Learn how to make this recipe at home to enjoy it any time the craving hits!

Interested in more keto chicken recipes? Check out my post on 50 Keto Chicken Breast Dinner Recipes.

Ingredients needed

These are the ingredients needed to ensure your dish tastes just like the Chinese food you know and love:

Chicken thighs

The base of this keto sesame chicken recipe is boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Chicken thigh is a great cut of meat for a keto diet because it has good protein content and is slightly fattier than boneless skinless chicken breast.

If you don't have chicken thighs on hand, however, most cuts of chicken (and potentially other proteins) will work for this recipe.

Chicken coating

I use simple seasonings to enhance the chicken and coat it for frying.

Salt and pepper add a bit of flavor, while the arrowroot powder and egg provide a crispy fry without any high-carb ingredients.

Oil

Because this is a fried recipe, oil is a necessity!

I use a mix of olive and sesame oil to fry my chicken thighs. Sesame oil adds a good complexity to the dish, while olive oil balances the flavor and keeps it from being too sesame-heavy.

Oil helps the chicken get perfectly golden brown while also adding good fat content – excellent for a keto diet!

Sesame sauce

The secret to this keto sesame chicken is in the perfectly balanced sauce combination. 

I achieve the best sesame flavor by combining sauce ingredients with sweet, umami, and acidic qualities.

Brown sugar substitute offers a subtle sweetness with zero net carbs per serving. Soy sauce provides the necessary umami, while rice vinegar gives a bite of acidity.

The sauce is finished off with strong flavors of minced garlic and ginger paste.

Finally, I use xanthan gum as a low-carb thickening agent so that your keto sesame chicken sauce gets nice and sticky.

Garnish

To top off this low-carb chicken recipe, I use green onions and sesame seeds.

Green onions add a bit of freshness and good color to your overall brown-looking recipe.

Sesame seeds add a nutty flavor and a little crunch. If you want to add a special touch, toast your sesame seeds in a frying pan for a couple of minutes before garnishing.

Tips

Here are a few cooking tips for this keto chicken recipe to ensure perfectly crispy chicken every time!

• Heat oil in a frying pan before adding your chicken for a good sear.
• Use toasted sesame oil for a more complex flavor.
• Prep your sauce mixture ahead of time to minimize cooking time.

Instructions

Ready to make this delicious meal? Here are the easy steps to bring this sesame chicken recipe together:

Season and coat the chicken

Begin by chopping your boneless skinless chicken thighs into small, bite-sized pieces and adding them to a mixing bowl.

Add salt and pepper to taste, mixing to combine. Then, toss your chicken thigh pieces with arrowroot powder.

Beat together an egg, and set aside for coating your chicken before frying.

Sear the chicken

For frying, I use both sesame oil and olive oil, adding them to a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Dip your coated chicken pieces into the egg mixture and add them to the hot oil.

Sear your chicken on all sides until it is crispy and cooked all the way through – the outside should have a nice, golden brown color.

Once cooked, drain your pan of any excess oil and change to medium heat.

Mix and incorporate the sauce

Next up, the keto sesame chicken sauce!

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour over your cooked chicken.

Simmer your keto sesame chicken until the sauce thickens up nicely.

Garnish and serve

And just like that – it's time to serve!

Serve your cooked chicken with flavor-enhancing garnishes like chopped green onions, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.

Serving suggestions

There are several ways to eat this sesame chicken on a keto diet.

For dinner, I recommend serving this chicken over a low-carb base like steamed cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, kelp noodles, or shirataki noodles.

A side of steamed broccoli will amp up the nutrition factor.

This sesame chicken recipe is also perfect for meal prep! Serve leftovers in lettuce wraps or on top of an Asian spiralized zucchini salad.

Variations

• Make this recipe gluten-free by swapping the soy sauce for coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce.
• Swap chicken thighs for boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if it's what you have on hand.
• Try frying in other high-heat oils like avocado oil, peanut oil, or toasted sesame oil.

Related recipes

Tempted by this keto sesame chicken? I have plenty of low-carb recipes that mimic the Chinese food you know and love.

• Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli makes tender, juicy meat in just three hours with sweet and umami flavors.
• Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is incredibly tasty, especially when served on low-carb cauliflower rice.
• Keto Orange Chicken is crispy, sweet, and delicious without the high carb count; top with green onions and sesame seeds!
• Keto Hoisin Sauce is a must-try recipe to flavor any of your favorite Asian recipes.
• Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken has an authentic taste with fresh and tangy veggies, chicken thighs, and green onion garnish.
• Keto Egg Drop Soup is light and savory, perfect for lunch or as a dinner starter.

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