Sesame Hoisin Ground Chicken (Printable Version)

Ground chicken and hoisin blend with fresh vegetables and linguine, finished with sesame for a vibrant dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz linguine

→ Meats

02 - 1 lb ground chicken

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup snap peas, halved
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced (reserve some for garnish)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

→ Sauce

08 - 5 tbsp hoisin sauce
09 - 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
10 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
11 - 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional)
13 - 1 tbsp honey

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
15 - Fresh cilantro or scallions (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
02 - Whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, chili garlic sauce if using, and honey in a small bowl. Set aside.
03 - Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat with a splash of neutral oil. Add ground chicken and cook, breaking apart, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
04 - Add garlic, grated ginger, and sliced green onions to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in bell pepper and snap peas, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender.
05 - Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Toss to coat evenly.
06 - Add the cooked linguine to the skillet and toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to evenly coat the pasta with sauce.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and additional green onions or cilantro over the top. Serve immediately.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It tastes like takeout but costs a fraction and you control every ingredient.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta and coats the chicken like a glaze.
  • Dinner is on the table in 35 minutes without a single complicated technique.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining. I forgot once and the sauce never came together right, it was too thick and clingy.
  • Dont overcook the vegetables. They should still have bite, otherwise this dish loses its texture contrast.
  • Toast your sesame seeds if theyre not already toasted. The flavor difference is night and day.
03 -
  • Use a wok if you have one. The high sides make tossing easier and the heat distributes fast and evenly.
  • Grate the ginger on a microplane instead of chopping it. It melts into the sauce and you avoid fibrous bits.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it to the pan. Adjust the honey or vinegar based on your mood, some days I like it sweeter, some days sharper.
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