Jump to Recipe
These sesame chicken bowls with edamame have about 41 g protein per serving and take 45 minutes from start to table. The protein comes from chicken breast, edamame and rice, not powder, so it tastes like the real thing.
Each bowl is around 430 g of food: about 95 g cooked chicken, 150 g rice, 75 g edamame, and a handful of raw cucumber and carrot. That’s a full dinner.
The one trade-off is the breast meat. It dries out fast, so I cut it into 2 cm pieces and sear it in two batches. If you crowd the pan, the chicken steams and comes out pale and gummy.
The glaze is honey, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil. It thickens in under 2 minutes, so have your bowls out before it hits the pan.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- About 41 g protein per bowl from whole foods
- Ready in 45 minutes with mostly pantry staples
- Chicken stays juicy because the pieces are small and seared fast
- Reheats well for three to four days of lunches
Ingredient Notes
- chicken breast: Boneless skinless breast gives the most protein, about 28 g per 125 g raw portion. Thighs work and stay juicier, with about 3 to 4 g less protein per bowl.
- edamame: Use frozen shelled edamame, which needs no thawing before the 4-minute boil. Frozen green peas are a weaker substitute with roughly half the protein.
- low-sodium soy sauce: Regular soy sauce makes the glaze too salty once it reduces. For gluten-free bowls, use tamari in the same amount.
- toasted sesame oil: Look for the dark amber bottle, not light sesame oil. It goes in the glaze only, because it smokes in a hot skillet.
- honey: Honey gives the glaze its sheen. Maple syrup works in the same amount with a slightly deeper flavor.
Pan-Seared Sesame Chicken Bowls with Edamame and Rice
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the chicken into 2 cm pieces, pat dry, and toss with the cornstarch and 1 tbsp soy sauce in a bowl. Whisk the honey, 3 tbsp soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and water in a small bowl. Shred the carrots and slice the cucumber and scallions.
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs mostly clear. Combine it with 350 ml water and a pinch of salt in a 2-quart / 1.9 L saucepan, bring to a boil, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Take it off the heat and keep the lid on for 10 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, bring a 3-quart / 2.8 L pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the edamame for 4 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and light gold. Tip them into a small bowl and wipe out the pan.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in the skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until it shimmers. Add half the chicken in a single layer and leave it alone for 2 minutes. Stir and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until browned and 165 F / 74 C in the thickest piece with no pink inside. Move to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. Don't crowd the pan, or the chicken steams instead of browning.
- Return all the chicken to the skillet over medium heat and pour in the glaze. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until it turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon. Take the pan off the heat right away and stir in half the toasted sesame seeds.
- Fluff the rice and divide it among 4 bowls, about 150 g each. Top with the glazed chicken, edamame, cucumber, carrot and scallions, then sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds.
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before adding cornstarch so the coating sticks.
- Sear in two batches so each piece has room to brown.
- Pull the chicken at 165 F / 74 C with no pink inside.
- Keep the rice lid on for the full 10-minute rest.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce, or the reduced glaze turns too salty.
Tips for Success
- Cut the chicken into 2 cm pieces so each batch cooks through in about 5 minutes without drying out.
- Pat the chicken dry before dusting it with cornstarch, since surface moisture turns the coating gummy instead of crisp.
- Sear in two batches in the 30 cm / 12-inch skillet and leave each piece untouched for 2 minutes before stirring.
- Pull the pan off the heat as soon as the glaze coats the back of a spoon, because honey thickens fast.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes until fragrant and just golden before sprinkling them over the bowls.
Variations
- Swap the jasmine rice for 200 g dry quinoa and simmer it in 400 ml water for 15 minutes, which adds about 3 g protein per bowl.
- Stir 1 to 2 tsp of sriracha or chili crisp into the glaze for heat that runs through every bite.
- Replace the cucumber and carrot with shredded purple cabbage and sliced snap peas for a crunchier bowl.
Storage and Reheating
Sesame chicken bowls keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days when you store the parts in separate airtight containers. Cool the rice and chicken within 1 hour of cooking, and keep the cucumber, carrot and scallions raw and apart so they stay crisp.
To reheat, warm the chicken in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes with 1 tbsp of water, until it’s steaming and reads 165 F / 74 C. Microwave the rice, covered, with a splash of water for 60 to 90 seconds. Edamame is fine cold or warmed for 30 seconds.
I cook a double batch on Sunday and eat from it through Wednesday. Glazed chicken and rice also freeze for up to 2 months in flat freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and leave the cucumber out of anything you freeze.
Serving Suggestions
Sesame chicken bowls are a full meal on their own. Build each one in a wide bowl with rice on one side and chicken and edamame on the other, then add the raw cucumber, carrot, scallions and sesame seeds on top.
For heat, add a spoonful of chili crisp or a few drops of sriracha. A lime wedge cuts through the sweetness of the honey-soy glaze.
If you want a side, quick-pickled radishes or a cup of miso soup go with it without competing for attention.
FAQ
How do I know when the chicken in sesame chicken bowls is done?
The chicken is done at 165 F / 74 C in the thickest piece, and the inside should be white with no pink. The edges should be browned, which takes about 5 minutes per batch for 2 cm pieces. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut the biggest piece open and check.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast in sesame chicken bowls?
Yes, use 500 g boneless skinless thighs cut into 2 cm pieces and cook each batch about 1 minute longer, until there’s no pink inside and the thickest piece reads 165 F / 74 C. Thighs stay juicier but give about 3 to 4 g less protein per bowl.
Can I freeze sesame chicken with the rice for meal prep?
Yes, the glazed chicken and rice freeze together for up to 2 months in flat freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat the chicken in a skillet until it reads 165 F / 74 C. Leave out the cucumber and scallions, which turn watery after freezing, and add them fresh.
Are sesame chicken bowls with edamame gluten free?
Not as written, because regular soy sauce contains wheat. Swap in tamari in the same amount and check that the label says gluten-free. The chicken, cornstarch, rice, edamame and honey are gluten free. Use plain rice vinegar, not seasoned, which can contain added ingredients.
What can I add to sesame chicken bowls for crunch or heat?
Add chili crisp for heat and crunch, or top the bowls with thin radish slices or crushed wonton strips. Stir 1 tsp of sriracha into the glaze if you want the heat in the sauce itself. Add crunchy toppings at the table so they don’t go soft.
Where does the protein in these sesame chicken bowls come from?
Each bowl has about 41 g protein, all of it from whole foods and none from powder. Roughly 28 g comes from 125 g of raw chicken breast, 8 g from 75 g of edamame, and 3.5 g from the rice. Sesame seeds and soy sauce add the rest.
