Sesame Garlic Baked Chicken is moist and tender with a delectable sweet and savory marinade which turns into a glaze during the baking process. Serve it up with steamed rice and vegetables for a balanced meal.
If you’ve tried my Asian Baked Chicken Breasts or my Asian Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs, this sesame garlic ginger chicken is very similar with a few tweaks, including an infusion of zesty ginger.
Looking for ways to enhance your chicken breast game? The sesame garlic ginger marinade that comes with this recipe is all you need to transform a boring cut of chicken into a dreamy experience.
It is easy to prepare and boasts a magical combination of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors with the slightest kick of spice.
If you enjoy the big sesame, garlic and ginger flavors that are common in Asian cuisine, you’ll adore this flavorful chicken recipe.
While the chicken does turn out best if you give it plenty of time to marinate, we only need about 15 to 18 minutes of cook time and a few minutes for prep.
Each marinade ingredient serves an important purpose, so let’s discuss them and offer some alternatives as well. The full list of ingredients can be found at all major grocery stores.
Ingredients for Garlic Ginger Chicken:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: The all-star ingredient here! Boneless breasts get marinated in a delicious sesame garlic ginger marinade for a sweet and savory easy chicken recipe.
I like using thin chicken cutlets rather than buying whole boneless breasts. My grocery store carried thin cut chicken filets, which are simply breasts sliced in half lengthwise to make a thin filet.
I find this to be the best option for the best results, and also chicken tenders work well too. If your store only carries regular boneless skinless chicken breasts, you can slice them in half yourself.
Coconut Aminos: Used for both sweet and savory flavor, coconut aminos is a key ingredient here for big Asian-inspired flavors.
The hint of sweetness adds amazing flavor and makes a big difference to the overall taste of the chicken. See the Recipe Adaptations section below for possible replacements.
Avocado Oil and Toasted Sesame Oil: Every great marinade contains some fat to help bring flavor and lubrication to the meat.
For this marinade, I like using a combination of avocado oil and sesame oil. This ensures the chicken doesn’t become overpowered with sesame oil flavor but is infused with just the right amount.
Fish Sauce: While it may sound strange, a little fish sauce boosts the flavor of any dish in a big way due to its rich umami flavor and salt content.
If you don’t normally keep fish sauce on hand, you can skip it and the chicken will still taste great.
Fresh Garlic Cloves: Bringing a big punch of flavor to the marinade, we need several cloves of garlic. If you don’t have fresh on hand, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder works as a replacement.
Sriracha (optional): A little kick of spice is brought to you by sriracha to round out the flavor palate. If you prefer mild food, skip it. Otherwise, leave it in or increase it for spicier chicken.
Rice Vinegar: A splash of vinegar gives an acidic tang to the marinade, which brings the flavor profile full circle.
Fresh Ginger: Peel and grate or finely mince some fresh ginger to infuse the chicken with that intoxicating ginger flavor. If you’re obsessed with ginger, feel free to go big here. Otherwise, stick with the amount listed.
There are many ways you can customize this recipe. Here are some ideas.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Switch out the coconut aminos for 3 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos plus 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup or brown sugar. Because coconut aminos are naturally sweet, we’ll need to add a sweetener if we swap it out. If you end up using soy sauce, I recommend reducing or omitting the fish sauce because both sauces are very high in sodium.
- If you love the flavor of sesame oil, omit the avocado oil and add more sesame oil.
- Use cider vinegar or lime juice instead of rice vinegar.
- Prefer chicken thighs over breasts? Use either boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs.
- I’ve found there’s enough salt in the fish sauce and coconut aminos that I don’t need to add more but if you find the chicken needing it, sprinkle it on after baking.
- Add red pepper flakes for some extra heat.
- Chop the chicken breasts into bite sized smaller pieces and cook the chicken in a large skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat if you prefer this over baking. You can add some corn starch to the sauce to thicken it.
Now that we’re familiar with the simple ingredients and potential changes, let’s bake chicken!
How to make Garlic Ginger Baked Chicken Breasts:
If you’re using full boneless chicken breasts, slice them in half lengthwise using a sharp knife on a cutting board to create thinner filets.
Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a small bowl or measuring cup and stir to combine.
Transfer the raw chicken and the marinade to a large zip lock bag.
Seal the bag and shake it around until the chicken pieces are coated with marinade.
Marinate for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator, ideally 3 hours, and up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to bake the chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer the chicken and all of the marinade to a large casserole dish, ensuring the chicken is in a single layer (not overlapping).
Bake for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if you’re using whole chicken breasts).
Remove the chicken from the oven and use a spoon to baste the juices over the chicken breasts.
Change your oven to the broil setting and broil the chicken for 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven, baste it again, then broil for another 1 to 2 minutes.
The chicken should be golden brown and appear glazed. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Before serving the chicken, spoon any remaining juices over the chicken breasts. Serve garlic ginger chicken with your choice of side dishes such as jasmine rice (or cauliflower rice for low carb) and stir fry vegetables for a complete meal.
I like sprinkling the chicken with chopped green onions for an extra pop of fresh flavor. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds for an added crunch.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I chop up a leftover breast and add it to my salads for a healthy lunch the next day. My Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad is an excellent use for leftover chicken!
You can chop the chicken and serve it as a lettuce wrap with sauteed green beans, brown rice, and bell pepper and a drizzle of coconut aminos.
And that’s it! An excellent meal prep recipe or last-minute dinner recipe that will please the whole family.
The next time you’re looking for a healthy chicken recipe for busy weeknights, let this sesame ginger chicken recipe be your guide.
If you enjoy flavorful, easy chicken recipes like this one, also try out these reader favorites.
More Chicken Recipes:
- Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken
- The Best Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe
- Huli Huli Chicken
- Baked Korean BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs
- 30-Minute Paleo Orange Chicken
Ginger lovers, make this easy sesame chicken for dinner tonight!
Sesame Garlic Ginger Baked Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts*
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp sriracha optional
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled and grated
Instructions
- If you’re using full boneless chicken breasts, slice them in half lengthwise using a sharp knife on a cutting board to create thinner filets.
- Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a small bowl or measuring cup and stir to combine.
- Transfer the raw chicken and the marinade to a large zip lock bag. Seal the bag and shake it around until the chicken pieces are coated with marinade.
- Marinate for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator, ideally 3 hours, and up to 24 hours.
- When you’re ready to bake the chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the chicken and all of the marinade to a large casserole dish, ensuring the chicken is in a single layer (not overlapping).
- Bake for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if you’re using whole chicken breasts).
- Remove the chicken from the oven and use a spoon to baste the juices over the chicken breasts.
- Change your oven to the broil setting and broil the chicken for 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven, baste it again, then broil for another 1 to 2 minutes. The chicken should be golden brown and appear glazed. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Before serving the chicken, spoon any remaining juices over the chicken breasts. Serve garlic ginger chicken with your choice of side dishes such as jasmine rice (or cauliflower rice for low carb) and stir fry vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
Nutrition
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Made for my family and my husband and the kids loved it!
Amazing! That’s so great to hear, Martina! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the recipe. xoxo
Do you adjust [ven rack when you broil chicken?
Hi Sonia! No need to adjust the oven rack higher or lower. I bake my chicken on the rack that’s third from the top which makes it slightly higher than the center of the oven. Happy cooking!