If you love Sesame Chicken but not the doughnut breading, deep fat frying, and sticky, sugary glaze — you are going to LOVE this easy, secretly healthy stir fry. Sesame Chicken Fried Rice is savory, a touch sweet, and tastes just like Sesame Chicken with a fraction of the fat and calories. You know what we call that? An upgrade!
If you’re a long time IGE reader with a very good memory, this recipe might look a tad familiar. It’s a slight twist on my Kale Fried Rice which I shared way back in 2012. Believe it or not, we still eat it regularly, with a few modifications. Since our family has more then doubled in that time, I’ve taken to doubling the recipe, plus adding chopped chicken thighs. If you want your homemade Asian-style recipes to taste like a restaurant’s – you have GOT to be using chicken thighs, which become buttery and tender once cooked over high heat in a wok. Combined with a few other fridge and pantry staples, this fun spin on Fried Rice will be on the table in minutes!
Start by mixing up the super easy stir fry sauce – that’s low-sodium gluten-free Tamari (or soy sauce if not GF), mirin, pure maple syrup, and sesame oil. You can find mirin in the Asian foods aisle next to the traditional soy sauces.
Next, fill a large wok with water then bring to a boil and simmer chopped kale until tender but not mushy, 4-5 minutes. I prefer curly kale for this recipe, but use whatever you like best. The easiest way to strip kale from its stem is to hold the stem between your index and middle fingers on one hand, then use your other hand to pull out the stem – then, chop it up! Drain the kale then squeeze very dry with your hands or a kitchen towel once its cool enough to handle, and then crumble into a bowl.
Time to cook! Place the wok back over high heat to evaporate any remaining water droplets then add vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot add chopped boneless, skinless chicken thighs then let sear undisturbed until golden brown on the bottom, 2 minutes. Add a drizzle of gluten-free Tamari, a dash of white pepper, and chopped shallot or onion then continue to saute until the chicken is cooked through, 2-3 additional minutes.
Add 6 (yes, 6!) cloves minced garlic then saute until very fragrant, 30 seconds – 1 minute, being very careful not to burn the garlic. Add the cooked kale then toss to combine.
Finally, add cooked long grain white rice plus the sauce. Turn the heat off then toss everything to combine.
Scoop the Sesame Chicken Fried Rice into bowls then top with toasted sesame seeds for garnish, if you please. I hope you love this simple yet outstanding dish – enjoy!
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