Sesame chicken is one of those Chinese restaurant dishes that starts out with nuggets of meat deep fried in a batter, then covered with a sweet/sour sometimes spicy sauce. I saw a lower calorie version the other day. It doesn't have the fried breading on it, but is worth a try to see if it's a good enough substitute because it saves about 300 calories per serving.

Here's the usual way to make sesame chicken, approximately 500 calories:


2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 dash sesame oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chile paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water

1 quart olive oil for frying
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Sift flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, vegetable oil, and a dash of sesame oil; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.
Heat olive oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Drop in the battered chicken pieces, a few at a time, and fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried chicken pieces onto a serving platter, and pour the hot sauce overtop. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to garnish.



Here's a healthier version that uses the slow cooker. I think you could use the sauce in the above recipe or the recipe I've provided. Somehow using just any barbecue sauce seems like it not taste as authentic.



Slow Cooker Sesame Orange Chicken

4 x 4 oz chicken breasts
1/4 cup corn starch
1/3 cup BBQ sauce (see below)
1/3 cup lower sugar orange marmalade
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup water
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 2 tsp dried ginger)
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Sesame seeds (garnish)

Put cornstarch on a plate. Coat raw chicken with cornstarch on both sides. Place all the sauce ingredients (from BBQ sauce to red pepper flakes) in the slow cooker base and mix with a whisk or fork until blended. Place chicken on top and flip a couple of times to coat the chicken in the sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours until chicken is no longer pink. Serve with additional sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

Nutrition (per 1 chicken breast & 1/4 of sauce) Calories: 228 Fat: 1.4 g Carbs: 24 g Fiber: 0.2 g Sugars: 13 g Sodium: 506 mg Protein: 27 g

Honey Sauce for Sesame Chicken

1/2 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

In a medium saucepan, warm the honey, garlic, and soy sauce over low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place the chicken in a large bowl and pour the warm honey sauce over it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and toss until the chicken is well coated. Serve immediately.