Servings: 6
Sheet pan sesame chicken
900 g skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 0.5″ (1.5 cm) pieces
350 g (900 ml) broccoli, cut into florets
1 (120 g) medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
4 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
Cauliflower rice
1.1 kg cauliflower
110 g butter or coconut oil
¾ tsp salt
To serve
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 tsp sriracha sauce or hot sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Sheet pan sesame chicken
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Place the chicken, broccoli and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with half of the sesame oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use a rubber spatula to toss together and then spread out in a single layer.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the veggies are beginning to brown and the chicken is cooked through. In the meantime, prepare the cauliflower rice.
Cauliflower rice
Shred the cauliflower using a grater or the grater attachment on a food processor.
Melt butter or coconut oil in a skillet. Add the cauliflower and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the riced cauliflower has softened a bit. Add salt while frying.
You can also cook the grated cauliflower in the microwave. Put it in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave it for 5-6 minutes. Mix in the butter or coconut oil and let it melt.
To serve
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining sesame oil, the coconut aminos, hot sauce, garlic, and ginger. Drizzle over the chicken and veggies and toss to combine.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over cauliflower rice.
Tip:
Cooking the food directly on the pan, rather than covering it with parchment or aluminium foil, allows the meat and the veggies to cook through a bit faster and to brown nicely. As long as you use plenty of oil, the food won’t stick.
Asian recipes do really well as sheet pan meals. The meat and veggies are cut up in small chunks, similar to the way they would be in a stir fry, so they cook quite quickly. And a little sesame oil brings out the flavor. Once the meal is cooked, you simply toss it with a spicy sugar-free sauce and dinner is served. I recommend serving it over a little cauliflower rice.