You will love this Sesame Chicken Stir Fry for an easy, weeknight dinner. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and takes just 25 minutes to prepare!
Whew, hello again! It’s been awhile since I checked in on the blog (I was posting on Instagram though, so make sure you follow me there). The last three weeks were extremely difficult for us, as our sweet dog Bessie became ill and passed away. At the end of October, she developed an acute kidney infection and had to be hospitalized for a few days. The vets ended up discharging her to our care, hoping it would encourage her to eat something and recover. But sadly, despite lots of medication and all the TLC we could provide, she just wasn’t in a good place, so we had to say goodbye.
Travis and I are devastated and we miss her every second of every day. It’s been a little over a week since we last held her in our arms, and our hearts still hurt. We hope that every day will get a little easier, and we continue to remind ourselves that Bessie is happy and at ease now.
So many of you reached out to send your condolences, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I wasn’t able to respond to every comment on Instagram, but please know that I read all of your sweet messages. Thank you so very much for thinking of us!
Now, truthfully, this Weeknight Sesame Chicken Stir Fry recipe was supposed to go up three weeks ago, but given all that we had going on I had some serious writer’s block. I am excited to FINALLY share it with you all today because this recipe is one of our new go-to weeknight dinners.
This Sesame Chicken recipe is inspired by my friend Reeya who told me that she uses ground chicken to make stir-fries. She explained that it’s much easier than cutting up chicken breast pieces, and that the ground chicken breaks up into tiny pieces, which is tastier and a little easier to eat (or in our case, inhale!).
I’ve made this Sesame Chicken Stir Fry with both ground chicken and ground turkey, and both work well. So don’t worry if you can’t find ground chicken at your grocery store. I used chopped bell peppers, onions, and baby bok choy in this stir fry, but feel free to change up the veggies. I think carrots and snap peas would also be delicious.

You will love this Sesame Chicken Stir Fry for an easy, weeknight dinner. It's gluten-free, dairy-free and takes just 25 minutes to prepare!
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 small bunches baby bok choy, leaves separated, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
- 1 lb. lean ground chicken*
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- brown rice, for serving
- green onions, thinly sliced, for serving
- toasted sesame seeds, for serving (optional)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce OR coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar**
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
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Heat a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and add 1 Tablespoon of avocado oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and bok choy. Stir fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables have a good sear and are soft. Remove the pan from the heat. Place the cooked veggies in a separate bowl and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
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While the vegetables are cooking, making the sesame stir fry sauce. In a medium bowl whisk together the chicken broth, 1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos, sesame oil, coconut sugar, and sriracha. Set aside.
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In a SEPARATE small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1/8 cup water and set aside.
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Return the pan to MEDIUM heat and add one Tablespoon of avocado oil to the pan. Once hot, add the ground chicken to the pan and season it with salt and pepper. Allow to sear on one side for about a minute, then flip the ground chicken and begin to break it up into tiny pieces with a spatula.
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Once the chicken is almost cooked through, make a well in center of the chicken and add the last Tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and ginger to the oil and stir constantly to brown, about 15 seconds. Mix the garlic and ginger into the chicken.
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Return the vegetables to the pan, and then stir in the Sesame Stir Fry Sauce, then the cornstarch mixture. Mix well to thoroughly coat the vegetables and chicken.
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Serve the sesame chicken stir fry over brown rice and top each bowl with sliced green onion and sesame seeds.
* You can substitute lean ground turkey for the lean ground chicken
** You can substitute light brown sugar for the coconut sugar
CJ | A Well-Read Tart
I’m so sorry about Bessie. One of my kitties a long time ago had kidney problems, and it’s just devastating. I’m so sorry you all had to go through that. It’s good you took the time to be with her, though. You’ll never regret that, and Bessie was lucky to have you and Travis by her side, giving her love.
OKAY! Enough on that, or I’m going to start bawling like a freakin’ baby, cuz I’m sensitive. 🙂 This recipe sounds so flavorful! It is SUCH a smart idea to use ground chicken instead of cutting up chicken, which is one of my least favorite cooking activities, lol. I usually only use ground beef for quick stir-fry, but I hate having red meat a lot. Using ground chicken is a brilliant idea to get the same weeknight stir-fry ease with fewer calories. Thanks for sharing!
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
Oh thank you SO much CJ! We are devastated by her loss, and I really appreciate your sweet note. We were so lucky to have her. And don’t worry, I’ve shed plenty of tears for the both of us! 😉