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Paleo Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice

4.70 from 30 votes

What’s Inside: Put a healthy spin on one of your favorite to-go dishes and make it at home! This Asian-inspired crispy Paleo sesame chicken is made with cassava flour, honey, and coconut aminos and served over a bed of quickly sautéed cauliflower rice. Give this recipe a try the next time you’re craving take-out!

Paleo Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice via Food by Mars

How to Make Paleo Sesame Chicken at Home

I’m so excited to share this Paleo sesame chicken recipe because I got to use some delicious Paleo products provided by Whole Foods NYC! I received a full on basket of goodies from amazing brands like BulletProof, WildWay, and PrimalKitchen. Check out my Instagram for the full scoop!

From the basket, I picked two products for this Paleo sesame chicken recipeRed Boat Fish Sauce and Mike’s Hot Honey. After attending an industry event focused on healthy food a few months ago and tasting some delicious paleo shrimp made with Red Boat Fish Sauce, I knew I had to incorporate it into a recipe of my own. And the honey sauce was a no-brainer, too, to add a little sweet with the umami-ness that is the mixture of coconut aminos (soy-replacer) and the fish sauce. In a word, it is heaven!

And trust me. You won’t miss the soy or MSG, but you will get to enjoy crispy, delicious Paleo sesame chicken in the comfort of home.

Paleo Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice via Food by Mars

What’s the Secret to Making Crispy Paleo Sesame Chicken?

I made this Paleo sesame chicken crispy with the power of Cassava flour, dipped in egg, pan-seared in ghee, and then smothered in my Asian-inspired sauce. This is sitting on a quickly sautéed bed of cauliflower rice. I topped it with gomasio seeds, which are basically sprinkles of sesame heaven and chives. (I couldn’t find scallions for the life of me, so this added the flavor I needed.) I’m so pleased with the turnout, and so was my husband considering  he ate my leftovers I had packed for lunch!

Paleo Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice via Food by Mars

Enjoy Paleo Versions of Your Favorite Foods

When going Paleo, it’s not unusual to feel like you’re not sure how to cook some of your favorite foods. I promise it’s not that hard nowadays to find even better replacements that are nutrient-dense and free of toxins and weird additives. Whole Foods has really embraced the Paleo Foods movement. They’ve added to their plethora of product offerings, so I’ve been able to easily find the brands I love and have even discovered some new ones, like this hot honey sauce that paired perfectly with my Paleo sesame chicken.

Paleo Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice via Food by Mars
Paleo Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice via Food by Mars

Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice (Paleo)

4.70 from 30 votes
You won't miss the SOY or MSG in this delicious spin on Paleo sesame chicken. The sauce packs a ton of flavor, the crispy chicken has perfect texture, and the cauliflower rice comes together in just minutes. 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 people

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • 2 skinless chicken breasts cubed
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup cassava flour
  • pinch sea salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 Tbsp ghee

Sauce:

  • 1 Tbsp honey I’m using Mike’s Hot Honey for a bit of spice
  • 1/2 Tbsp Red Boat Fish Sauce
  • 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp Ume plum vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 Tbsp tahini

Cauli Rice:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 Tbsp ghee
  • pinch sea salt
  • pinch black pepper

Garnish:

  • sesame seeds I love using June Seeds Gomasio
  • chopped scallions or chives

Instructions:

  • Prep the cauliflower rice ready by chopping the head into florets and rinsing under cool water.
  • Pat cauliflower dry, and throw the florets into a food processor. Pulse until you have “rice.” Set aside.
  • Make the sauce by combining all ingredients into a bowl and whisking so it’s well-incorporated over low heat for a few minutes. Once combined, set aside.
  • Organize bowls to “bread” the chicken. Add cassava flour, salt, pepper, and paprika to one shallow bowl. Add the beaten egg to another, and add clean chicken cubes to another. Leave a clean plate at the end of your assembly line.
  • Take clean chicken pieces and dredge them in the cassava flour mixture in one thin layer, followed by the egg, and then once more in the cassava flour. Place each piece on the clean plate until all pieces of chicken are coated. Set aside.
  • In a wok or large/heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat, add ghee and melt. Get the pot very hot.
  • Add chicken to your hot ghee in the pan, and turn it a bit so it gets browned on each side. This should take roughly 5-6 minutes.
  • Line a clean plate with paper towels. When the chicken is done, transfer the chicken to the paper towels to drain a bit. Set aside while you quickly wipe down the wok/pan so it's prepped for the cauliflower rice.
  • Transfer the chicken after a couple minutes of draining on the towels to a mixing bowl, and pour your sauce over top. (You might want to give it a quick mix before pouring it.) Give the chicken a stir so it’s well-coated. Let it sit, and marinate while you make the cauliflower rice.
  • Add ghee over medium heat to the same (cleaned) pan, and add the cauliflower rice once hot. Stir with a wooden spoon, and season with salt and pepper to taste. This should take just a few minutes to softly cook. (Just don’t let it get watery.) Remove from heat, and plate to serve. Add Paleo sesame chicken over top with chopped scallions and sesame seeds to garnish!
Diet: Chinese
Course: Main Course

More Easy Paleo Dinners To Try

If you’re feeling inspired by this crispy Paleo sesame chicken recipe, you’ll love these other healthy dinner recipes:

Paleo Crispy Sesame Chicken with Cauli Rice via Food by Mars

This Paleo sesame chicken recipe was sponsored by Whole Foods NYC.  All opinions are my own. As a reminder, I only work with brands I use myself and would recommend to my clients and followers.

-Alison Marras
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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14 comments

  1. Y’all!! This recipe is AMAZING!! I’ve even made it without the “breading” and it’s still SO good! I could drink the sauce. Plus you can multiply it and it stays good in the fridge for a few days! HIGHLY recommend!!

  2. Thank you Alison for this recipe. I love the flavors. The combination of sweet with the sesame oil is just amazing. I did not have cassava nor arrowroot so I tried with cornstarch. I need to work more to made the chicken more crispy. Do you have any recommendation on how to do it? Also did you fry the chicken with the sesame seeds or you just added them after? 
    Thanks for all your recipes they are so healthy and my gut process them so easily. 

    • So glad you liked it, Krizia! Perhaps the pan needed to be hotter to get it crispier and don’t over-stir? Play with that next time 😉

  3. Oh my goodness! So delicious and a hit with the whole fam!! The more recipes of yours that I try, the more I am amazed at the taste, the ease, all wrapped up in healthy. Thank you, Alison!

    • Ahh, thanks so much, Deb!! So happy you guys are loving the recipes and this one is definitely a fave of mine as well!

  4. Is there an alternative to cassava flour? I’m going to Oder some but is there another healthy flour that will work?

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