Sesame Ground Chicken

An easy twist on Sesame Chicken that’s perfect for busy weeknights! This recipe starts with ground chicken and a sweet & savory sauce and is garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Delicious over rice or all on its own!

I’ve really been getting into ground chicken lately. Which sounds funny to say, but it’s true. Not only because it’s inexpensive and easy to make… but because it’s just so versatile. If you can dream it, you can make it!

So I’ve been making everything from Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs to Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos to Chicken Lettuce Wraps… and now this Sesame Ground Chicken.

Why Sesame Ground Chicken? (Isn’t it supposed to just be Sesame Chicken?) Well, technically, yes. But I figured I’d switch it up a bit and make it with ground chicken instead. Because it’s so much easier… and equally delicious!

I combined it with fresh garlic, ginger, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, and plenty of sesame oil. And the end result is nothing short of completely delicious. And easy. And definitely a dinner I’ll be making on repeat.

what you’ll need for this recipe

Ground chicken – This recipe starts with 1 pound 92% lean ground chicken. I used ground chicken as an easy alternative to the traditional recipe, which uses chicken thighs. Feel free to substitute thighs or breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces.

Garlic – 3 cloves fresh minced garlic adds delicious flavor to the recipe. I sauteed it with the chicken, but you can also add it to the sauce.

Sauce – I made the sauce using 7 ingredients: soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, fresh ginger, chili garlic sauce and cornstarch. Feel free to substitute arrowroot powder for the cornstarch and adjust the other ingredients to taste.

Green onions – Sliced green onions add flavor, crunch, and color to this recipe.

Sesame seeds – A healthy dose of sesame seeds add nutty flavor and texture. Use regular white sesame seeds, toasted sesame seeds, or black sesame seeds.

how to make sesame ground chicken

Sauté the chicken & garlic. In a medium skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and minced garlic and sauté 6-8 minutes or until chicken is crumbled and no longer pink.

Add the sauce. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and pour over the chicken in the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat.

Garnish with green onions & sesame seeds. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds; serve over white rice or in in lettuce wraps.

storage & reheating tips

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, transfer to a small skillet and heat over medium heat until completely warmed through.