Name: Lighter Honey Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 250 min
Yield: 4 large bowls
Ingredients: 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (diced); 2 T. cornstarch; 1 large onion (halved & sliced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1/3 cup honey; 3 T. low sodium soy sauce; 1 T. sesame oil; 1 t. red pepper flakes ((optional)); 2 T. sesame seeds; 1/4 cup green onions (sliced)

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This healthy, lightened-up honey sesame chicken was an instant favorite in our house! Naturally sweetened with honey and sprinkled with a big handful of sesame seeds, this really does taste just like our favorite takeout without all the extra sugar & carbs. It’s full of pantry staples so you can throw together a big batch for dinner tonight!

Can I just say again how much I really, really love dump-it-all-in slow cooker meals? There’s honestly a fair number of days when I don’t feel like cooking dinner while I’m still decompressing from the holidays. This recipe is less than 375 calories for a huge, overflowing bowl with both chicken and cauliflower rice. Having takeout-style lighter honey sesame chicken ready to go saves both my health and my wallet!

There’s a time and a place for cauliflower rice, and this is definitely it. I can’t help but roll my eyes whenever I hear the promise “you’ll never know the difference!” – um, have you had rice before? – but al dente cauliflower rice will soak up flavors, and the texture works really well with these big pieces of saucy chicken. Perfect for a complete healthyish low-carb meal!

The key to good cauliflower rice is cooking it until there’s barely any moisture left. Soggy cauliflower is just sad. Squeeze out as much water as you can before you start, cook it over high heat so the moisture will sizzle away as it releases, and drain it through a paper towel if you need to. You’ll have fluffy, toothsome, holds-its-shape grains once the liquid has cooked off.

If you’re avoiding refined sugars, this recipe is sweetened with natural honey. It’s also gluten free although you should still check labels; some brands of soy sauce are actually loaded with sugar and gluten. Double-check the ingredients list if avoiding these ingredients is important to you.

I know this will have a regular place on our weekly meal plan! What are you favorite go-to easy recipes to avoid the temptation of takeout?

Lighter Honey Sesame Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

Total Time

4 hrs 10 mins

Healthy, lightened-up honey sesame chicken made in the slow cooker is naturally sweetened to taste just like your favorite takeout!

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 4 large bowls

Calories: 356 kcal

Recipe: Mountain Cravings

Ingredients

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast diced
2 T. cornstarch
1 large onion halved & sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup honey
3 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 t. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 T. sesame seeds
1/4 cup green onions sliced

Instructions

Stir chicken and cornstarch together in a slow cooker until chicken is completely coated. Add onion and garlic.
Whisk honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken and onions.
Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds & green onions. Serve hot with jasmine rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.