Chinese Takeout Style Sesame Chicken (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

There was a bit of trial and error that went into making this recipe. When I coated the first batch with only egg whites, the chicken come out pretty soggy. It still had a good flavor to it, but there wasn't even a slight crunch to the crust. About halfway through my batch, I decided to add some flax seeds after I recalled using the flax to make chicken tenders a few weeks ago. First I added 1 tablespoon. I fried that batch, and while there was more of a crust, I still wasn't satisfied. So then I decided to in add even more flax to the very last batch, and it actually turned out great. This is closest I've come to making something that tasted like Chinese food takeout. I paired the sesame chicken with pork fried rice and some steamed vegetables. This fried chicken recipe is very versatile; you could experiment by adding different spices or herbs to the batter and by topping it with different sauces. I know I will.

Each serving of low-carb sesame chicken is 3 grams of carbs.


Ingredients for the chicken (serves 4)

• 16-20 oz chicken breast or thighs
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 c milled flax seeds 
• 1/4 c almond meal 
• Salt and pepper
• Frying oil

1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and set aside. 
2. Heat a pan of frying oil to medium heat. 
3. In a bowl, whip the egg whites together with an electric mixer, until frothy. Add in the cream of tartar and then continue to whip on high until the peaks are stiff enough to hold their points. Fold the flax seed meal and the almond meal  into the egg whites along with a pinch of salt and pepper. 
4. Coat a piece of chicken in the flax-almond-egg white batter and drop it into the oil, before moving onto the next piece. Fry the chicken in multiple batches. Using tongs, move the chicken around until all sides are browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let the chicken pieces drain on either a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate. 

EDIT:*This recipe originally included a poaching step before coating and frying. I've since found out that precooking is not necessary for the chicken to be cooked all the way through, so I decided to edit the recipe and remove that initial step.

Ingredients for the sauce (serves 4)

• 6 tsp sweetener
• 3/4 c chicken broth
• 1 tbsp white vinegar 
• 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and let the mixture come to a boil before bringing the heat down to a low simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken before serving. 

Nutritional Info (for the entire recipe)

Calories: 936 calories

Total fat:  47 grams

Total carbs: 22 grams

Dietary fiber: 10 grams

Net carbs (entire recipe): 12 grams

Protein: 126 grams