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    Home » Proteins

    Spicy Sesame Chicken Recipe (Gluten Free)

    Published: Sep 19, 2023 · by Katie

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This spicy sesame chicken recipe is great for a weeknight dinner. It's easy to prep, quick to cook and leftovers taste amazing! This spicy sesame chicken is gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly.

    gluten free spicy sesame chicken plated with cauliflower rice

    My family has the weakest taste buds when it comes to spice - they just can't handle it! Which, is quite upsetting to me because I love a spicy chicken dish or sauteed veggies or drizzling sriracha over my eggs.

    Anyway, spicy recipes aren't something I normally create for the blog, simply because my family can't tolerate them. But this spicy sesame chicken (a recipe I created for myself) was just too good not to share!

    It's not overly spicy. In fact, I tried to make these spicy chicken thighs with just a little spice for flavor but not so much that it burns your mouth and leaves you feeling heated. No, I wanted this to be a dish that's well enjoyed!

    And yes, I did have my kids and husband try this paleo spicy chicken. While my husband and oldest son loved it, they both said it was "super spicy" (insert eye roll).

    Why You'll Love this Spicy Sesame Chicken

    I think this chicken thigh recipe is amazing and there are so many reasons to love it:

    • gluten free and grain free
    • dairy free and nut free
    • paleo friendly - made with real, whole food ingredients
    • easy to make and takes little prep time
    • leftovers taste wonderful - great for meal prep
    close up of cooked chicken on frying pan

    Ingredients

    Here's a list of what you need to make this gluten free spicy sesame chicken:

    For the Chicken

    • boneless chicken thighs
    • tapioca starch
    • sesame oil

    For the Sauce

    • coconut aminos
    • lime
    • sriracha
    • honey
    • sesame seeds
    • pepper flakes
    • granulated garlic
    • salt
    • tapioca starch
    ingredients-in-spicy-sesame-chicken-thighs

    How To Make Spicy Sesame Chicken

    This chicken thigh recipe is super easy to make - all you need are two mixing bowls (one for the chicken and one for the sauce), a whisk, spatula, frying pan and the listed ingredients. I used my large Caraway ceramic pan to cook this chicken and it worked perfectly!

    Here's what you need to do:

    1. First, heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan, over medium heat.
    2. Put the cut chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl and coat with tapioca starch.
    coating-the-chicken-thighs-in-tapioca-starch
    1. Place the coated chicken thighs on the preheated pan and cook until slightly browned and cooked through.  You will need to rotate the chicken pieces every few minutes to cook each side.
    2. While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients.
    spicy-sesame-sauce
    1. Once the chicken is cooked through, pour the sauce over the chicken and continue cooking on medium heat until the sauce thickens.
    spicy sesame chicken with cauliflower rice

    What To Eat With Spicy Sesame Chicken

    I paired this healthy sesame chicken with cauliflower rice and some fresh basil. It would also taste great with steamed or sauteed veggies, cauliflower mashed potatoes, noodles (zucchini or cassava), or a salad.

    Storage

    Place any leftovers in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge. They are best eaten within 5 days.

    Enjoy leftovers cold or heat them in the microwave for 20-40 seconds to warm.

    More Gluten Free Chicken Recipes

    plate of curry breaded chicken and a side of ketchup

    Curry Chicken Tenders

    cooked thighs on ceramic frying pan

    Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

    close-up-of-turmeric-chicken

    Turmeric Chicken

    Print
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    Spicy Sesame Chicken Recipe (Gluten Free)

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Katie
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: serves 4-6
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This spicy sesame chicken recipe is made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cooked on the stovetop in a spicy sesame sauce.  It's gluten free, dairy free and paleo.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the Chicken

    • 2 Tbsp sesame oil
    • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (1.5 - 2 lbs)
    • 3 Tbsp tapioca starch

    For the Sauce

    • 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
    • juice from ½ a lime
    • 1 Tbsp sriracha
    • 1 Tbsp raw honey
    • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
    • 1 tsp chili flakes
    • 1 tsp granulated garlic
    • ¾ tsp salt
    • ½ tsp tapioca starch


    Instructions

    1. Heat sesame oil in a large frying pan, over medium heat.
    2. Put chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl and coat with tapioca starch.
    3. Place the coated chicken thighs on the preheated pan and cook until slightly browned and cooked through.  You will need to rotate the chicken pieces every few minutes to cook each side.
    4. While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients.
    5. Once the chicken is cooked through, pour the sauce over the chicken and continue cooking on medium heat until the sauce thickens.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

    pinterest image for spicy sesame chicken
    « Healthy Paleo Pumpkin Brownies (Gluten Free)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katie

      September 19, 2023 at 8:00 am

      Reply
    2. Noelle F

      January 16, 2024 at 5:49 am

      I tried this recipe for the first time last night, and we are OBSESSED. It tastes like "takeout" but is made with nourishing, whole food ingredients. I made a couple subs to fit our current GI protocol - subbed tapioca starch for sweet potato starch (Amazon). Omitted siracha & red pepper flakes (so ours wasn't spicy, but it was still good!). Put 1 tsp of manukkah honey instead of 1 tbs. Topped with green onions. This will be a new favorite around here. Thank you, Katie, for creating this awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Katie

        January 16, 2024 at 7:14 am

        Noelle, I'm so glad you liked this recipe 🙂 Your swaps sound perfect!

        Reply

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    Hi there!

    I'm Katie and I have a passion for baking healthy treats using real, whole food ingredients. On my blog you'll find a variety of sweet and savory recipes, all gluten free and dairy free. My mission is to make baking nutritious, delicious, simple and family friendly.

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