Grilled Sesame Chicken & Vegetables

Fire up the grill, and Grilled Sesame Chicken & Vegetables will be on the table in 30 minutes. This chicken is on regular rotation in my house. If you have leftovers, they make a great salad.

This recipe was developed by Kate Sherwood, The Healthy Cook. Have a comment, question, or idea? Email Kate at healthycook@cspinet.org.

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• ½ tsp. ground coriander or cumin
• 1 tsp. mild red chili flakes (Korean gochugaru or Aleppo-style) or hot paprika
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds
• 2 bell peppers (any color), quartered lengthwise and seeded
• 4 small zucchinis, halved lengthwise
• ¾ cup Sesame Sauce (see recipe)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, dry spices, sugar, and salt.
2. Cut the chicken into ½-inch pieces, add it to the spice mixture, and mix to coat the pieces completely.
3. Thread the chicken onto four skewers.
4. Preheat the grill on high with the lid closed to 500ºF. Clean the grates well, then lightly oil them with peanut, sunflower, or safflower oil. (Look for any inexpensive oil that says “refined for high heat” on the label.)
5. Grill the chicken skewers over medium-high, turning a few times, until the chicken is well-marked and cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Remove the skewers to a serving platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
6. Grill the peppers and zucchinis until tender and charred in spots, 10–15 minutes. Once the chicken is off the grill, close the lid to help the vegetables cook.
7. Add the vegetables to the serving platter. Serve with the Sesame Sauce.

Tip: Soak the bamboo skewers in water to help prevent charring.

Sesame Sauce

Time: 5 minutes
Makes: about 3/4 cup (12 Tbs.)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• mild red chile flakes, to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk all the ingredients together with 2 Tbs. water into a smooth sauce. Sprinkle the chile flakes (if using) on top.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (1 skewer + vegetables + 3 Tbs. sauce):

• Calories: 410
• Total fat: 27 g
• Sat fat: 4.5 g
• Carbs: 14 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Total sugar: 7 g
• Added sugar: 1 g
• Protein: 31 g

• Sodium: 580 mg 

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  Photo: Kate Sherwood/CSPI.