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This Healthy Sesame Chicken Stir Fry is delicious and low in calories – under 500 calories per serving. The mix of veggies, pasta, and sesame chicken is flavorful and filling.
Low Calorie Sesame Chicken Stir Fry
This Sesame Chicken Stir Fry is kind of my knock-off version of the Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken. I have to admit, when I was working in an office and only had 30-minute lunch-breaks, I had the Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken all the time. In fact, it was my favorite quick, frozen, lunch. My biggest gripe about it was that there wasn’t enough and I still felt hungry after eating it. The total weight of it is only 9 oz., which really isn’t a whole lot if you think about it.
I came up with this recipe the other day when I was craving Chinese food, yet I was in the mood for a healthier, lighter dish. For some reason Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken came to mind and I decided that I wanted to improve on it. It turned out SO good — way better than the Lean Cuisine version and healthier too (no artificial ingredients)!
Tips and Tricks to Try
I used coconut oil to saute the veggies and chicken and I used the Ronzoni Smart Taste noodles (you can use whole-wheat noodles, I just love the smooth texture of Smart Taste). It was a HUGE hit with the whole family and guess what? Everyone was completely satisfied after one serving. That’s because one serving of this (yes, I weighed it out) was 16 oz! That is almost TWICE as much as one package of Lean Cuisine.
Compare the Results
Ok so I did some research comparing the two: Favorite Family Recipes vs. Lean Cuisine. Here are my results. (I’m sure these can vary slightly but this is what I found based on my research using “My Fitness Pal” nutrition calculator):
Actual Food Weight: FFR=16oz LC=9oz
Fat: FFR = 6g LC = 9g
Calories: FFR = 414 LC = 330 (In our defense, you ARE getting more food. If you cut the sauce in half you can reduce the calories by about 55 calories per serving, but I like lots of sauce and it’s not something I want to sacrifice)!
Sodium: FFR = 509mg LC = 650mg
Carbs: FFR = 45 LC = 47
Fiber: FFR = 10 LC = 2 (This is if you use the packaged stir-fry vegetables)
So yeah… we killed it in this competition.
This Works Great as a Freezer Meal
I wish I would have come up with this recipe years ago! I totally would have just made my own individual freezer meals. These re-heat GREAT and would make awesome freezer lunches for close to the same price or even cheaper than buying them (and you get MORE per serving). If you are making this with the intention of freezing, I would put the stir-fry veggies into the container without sauteing them. Put them straight in frozen, as they are, that way when you microwave it up they aren’t being re-cooked and will taste better.
(makes 6 servings)
More Low Calorie Favorites
If you’re looking to go big on flavor, but small on calories, try our Healthy Pizza (only 350 calories!). Want all the texture and taste of mashed potatoes but on the lighter side? These Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are totally worth it.
Low Calorie Sesame Chicken Stir Fry
Equipment
- Fry Pan/Skillet
Ingredients
- 12 oz thin spaghetti noodles (Ronzoni Smart Taste)
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/2 c. “lite” soy sauce
- 1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/2 c. white distilled vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tsp. fresh ginger finely grated
- crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with ¼ c. water
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 lb frozen stir-fry vegetables (or a mixture of fresh stir-fry vegetables)
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 Lbs. chicken breast sliced diagonally into thin strips
- 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds or to taste
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions.
- While noodles are cooking, combine sauce ingredients (sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes) in a saucepan and heat gently over medium heat.
- When sauce is smooth and sugar has dissolved, SLOWLY add cornstarch mixture a little at a time (you may not need ALL of it) and stir constantly until sauce has thickened to desired thickness. Set aside
- In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. coconut oil over medium heat. Add vegetables and stir-fry until they become hot and crisp-tender. Remove from skillet and set aisde (cover with aluminum foil to keep hot).
- In the same skillet, add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil. Add chicken and stir fry until chicken becomes white on all sides (doesn’t need to be completely cooked through), drain any excess water.
- Add sauce to the skillet with the chicken and stir to coat. Simmer on low heat for about 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring often. Sprinkle chicken with sesame seeds.
- Drain noodles and serve on individual plates. Top with vegetables and chicken/sauce mixture.
Nutrition Information
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First day on the new diet for myself and my picky cook husband. I made this and he can’t stop complimenting it! It is an absolutely fabulous recipe and it fills you up. If this is dieting- we are going to make it!
I am allergic to pineapple, so what would be a good substitution?
I would maybe try orange juice? Let me know how it turns out if you try it that way!
Could you use ground ginger in place of fresh ginger or would that ruin the dish?
Thanks looks delicious.
It won’t ruin the dish, a little ground ginger would be better than no ginger at all 🙂
Made this last night for dinner. Didn’t have lite soy sauce so used regular. Also used sunflower oil instead of coconut due to cost. It turned out delicious!!!. Does not taste low cal and fills you up. I will definitely make again.
Yay! I’m glad it was a success. Thank you for sharing your substitutions!