Although this recipe had yet to win an official award, it is definitely an award-winning recipe in our minds. This recipe is a standard that we use for cooking demonstrations because it is so easy and people LOVE it. Our recipes are all created, prepared and photographed by our culinary dietitians and all are dietitian-approved and there are definitely a few favorite and this recipe would definitely be on the short list of favorite recipes.
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Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken boneless, skinless thighs
- 1/2 large onion diced
- 1 bunch green onion chopped; reserve green tops for garnish
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce Gluten-free if avoiding gluten
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 Tbsp water cold
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
For Freezer Meal
- Place chicken thighs, onion, and green onion (white portion only) in a gallon size freezer bag. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, chicken broth, olive oil, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Pour mixture into bag, and seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Shake or massage to combine. Lay flat in freezer until ready to cook. Store in freezer for up to 6 months.
Slow Cooker
- If using freezer meal, thaw then pour contents into slow cooker.
- If cooking from fresh, place chicken thighs, onion, green onion (white portion only), garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, chicken broth, olive oil, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cook time, whisk together 1 Tbsp corn starch with 2 Tbsp cold water. Add to slow cooker and stir to combine. Continue to cook for 30 minutes. This will thicken the sauce.
- Serve over rice and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
Instant Pot
- If using freezer meal, thaw then pour contents into Instant Pot.
- If cooking from fresh, place chicken thighs, onion, green onion (white portion only), garlic honey, soy sauce, ketchup, chicken broth, olive oil, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Secure lid and make sure vent is in the sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Release pressure.
- Turn on sauté function. Whisk together 1 Tbsp corn starch with 2 Tbsp cold water. Add to Instant Pot and stir to combine. Cook on sauté function for 10 minutes to thicken sauce.
- Serve over rice and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
Air Fryer
- Line air fryer basket with aluminum foil.
- If using freezer meal, thaw then pour half of the contents into lined air fryer basket.
- If cooking from fresh, combine chicken thighs, onion, green onion (white portion only), garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, chicken broth, olive oil, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and stir to combine. Pour half of the mixture into a lined air fryer basket.
- Turn on air fryer to 390° F and cook for 12 minutes. Flip chicken over and resume cooking for an additional 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken, place foil over to keep warm, and set aside. Add remaining uncooked chicken to the air fryer basket and repeat until cooked through.
- Serve over rice and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Please note:
Nutrition info is an estimate and may contain errors.
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
